Today Was a Fairytale
by sdl90
Summary: Rachel Berry's life hasn't gone according to plan.  With no friends, no love life, no Broadway and a dead end job life seems hopeless until a door that shouldn't exist changes everything.  AU
1. Once Upon A Time

I know, I know, I still have chapters left to finish on AMNG and Dates but this story has taken over my bus rides since school started and I couldn't stop myself. So I present _Today Was a Fairytale_.

Disclaimer: I own neither the characters or the Taylor Swift song this has been named after.

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><p>Rachel Berry's day was not going well. Scratch that, Rachel Berry's life was not going well.<p>

This wasn't the way it was supposed to be. Rachel was supposed to spend four amazing years at Juilliard making many friends, finding an awesome boyfriend who would stick with her and support her throughout her career (and with any luck be very well endowed but that wasn't a requirement) while earning the lead in every school production she'd perform in, receive glowing reviews for said performances then graduate top of her class. She would then immediately get the lead in one of the three Broadway musicals she had always dreamed of being in, receive glowing reviews for those performances as well, culminating in winning a Tony all while being happily married to her college boyfriend with the most adorable son and daughter as a product of their love.

If you hadn't guessed, none of that happened.

Rachel Berry's life had instead gone like this. Rachel blew her Juilliard audition forcing her to attend the Tisch school at NYU instead, which Rachel still thought an improvement over anything in Ohio, but it wasn't her dream school. She had arrived at NYU a starry eyed 17 year old ready to take on New York and show the world what she was made of but quickly learned that things would not be as easy as she thought. Even making friends proved difficult as no one ever wanted to talk to her. All her classmates ignored her and when they did acknowledge her regarded her with a sense of, well, honestly, outright hate. They treated her like she was a nobody and only served as a background prop. They hated working with her and laughed at her every time she performed a very heartfelt monologue or solo. They clearly didn't appreciate her talent. That was never more evident than when she auditioned for the lead of the musical her freshman year and was basically laughed off stage.

There wasn't a rule saying she couldn't audition but it seemed that Rachel hadn't heard about the unwritten rule that freshmen never did. She wouldn't let this single faux pas deter her though. Rachel could accept spending four years at school with zero friends and zero romantic prospects, after all that's what she did in high school, but she would not accept the hand she had been dealt regarding her place within the theatre school.

For four long years Rachel fought tooth and nail for everything she could at Tisch but still had been given the shaft much of the time. Her professors thought her difficult to work with and labeled her a diva and after her first lead her junior year didn't earn quite the reviews anyone was expecting she was never chosen for a lead role again.

Rachel graduated a middling student from Tisch merely because she had thought she deserved better when no one else thought the same. So maybe she was a bit controlling and liked things to be done a certain way but they weren't acting in some high school play, they were in college hoping to move up to bigger things. Was it her fault no one else seemed as determined or dedicated as her?

So now Rachel spent her days living in a tiny studio apartment in Lower Manhattan working the most mortifying and least glamorous job she could think of as a performer. She acted as a magician's assistant/clown for Rocco the Magnificent/Rocco Rainbow. They worked old folks homes, birthday parties, school events, bar and bat mitzvah's, and basically anything else someone would need a clown or magician for.

After Rachel had been turned down for yet another role and the need for food and money for rent became dire Rachel had no choice but to seek out employment in a less than desirable position. Since the only thing she was qualified for was singing, dancing and acting her options were rather limited. She scoured the jobs page for days in the paper until she saw Performer Needed. The only credentials needed for the job was a flexible schedule and some acting experience. Rachel had both so to the interview she went.

Rocco was a sweet older man, the nicest man she'd met in New York in the four and a half years she had been there and had hired her immediately after he saw her résumé. Despite her lack of actual job experience she had been the only person to apply who had actually attended school for acting and could carry a tune while juggling.

Though Rachel had the job with Rocco she continued to audition for anything Broadway related she could find but no one was interested. They all told her the same things: not enough experience, not pretty enough, not tall enough, not good enough...just not enough. After hearing that over and over Rachel began to doubt herself and eventually quit auditioning all together. She didn't need a Tony to survive, she needed food and shelter and clothing. Working for Rocco provided that.

Unfortunately working for Rocco also provided screaming and messy children, the occasional ass grab from pervy old men and bad pick-up lines from teenage boys who thought she was cute in her various magicians' outfits. Glamorous, right?

Rachel's life sucked. This led to why she was having a bad day every day.

"Rachel, we gotta go. Birthday party in half an hour," Rocco informed her that Saturday afternoon from outside her 'dressing' room door. Rocco worked from home but since he kept all the costumes at his place, Rachel worked from his home as well.

"I'm just putting on my tiara," Rachel informed him as she secured the sparkly silver and plastic beaded head piece. Today they were attending a little girl's fairy princess birthday party so Rachel was required to wear her pink princess costume as Rocco the Magnificent's assistant. It was her least favorite of all the costumes as it was itchy and difficult to move in but Rocco insisted she had to wear it. She stood up from her chair and examined herself in the full length mirror. She looked like Glinda the Good meets Princess Peach if they were pissed off and angry at the world. At least she would be able to put food on her table that night.

Rachel exited her room and found Rocco waiting in the kitchen for her. He was dressed in his usual magician's garb minus his top hat.

"You look lovely Rachel. You'll fit right in at this party," Rocco complimented with a warm smile.

"Thank you Rocco. Are we ready to go?" Rachel checked the time. "It's about 3:30 already."

"Right, let's head out."

Twenty minutes later Rocco and Rachel were setting up in a posh penthouse apartment overlooking Central Park. Rachel couldn't help but feel a stab of jealousy. This was the kind of place she should be living in as a Tony Award winning actress with her husband and kids, not some dingy studio with a pullout couch for a bed all alone.

"Rachel, pay attention. That cabinet is an antique!" Rocco warned when Rachel's grip slipped on the vanishing cabinet they were carrying. It wasn't particularly heavy when they worked together with the dolly but it was huge and awkward.

Rachel would have to lament her ill fortune later as the woman who'd hired them came over to announce that the children were ready for the show. Rocco told her another two minutes and they'd be all set.

"Ready for another show Rachel?" Rocco asked with anticipation as he clapped and rubbed his hands together.

Rachel gave him a weak smile. "Ready to get this over with," she replied. Rocco didn't even notice the sarcasm in her voice as he was genuinely excited. Rocco lived for this kind of thing.

There were 20 kids watching as Rocco pulled a rabbit from a hat and do all the old standards. He did card tricks, made things float, sawed Rachel in half then for the grand finale he would make her disappear. Doing her part perfectly she helped show off that there was only one way out of the cabinet and that Rocco had the only key. She stepped inside and Rocco locked the door. Of course she was simply standing behind a trap door in the back of the cabinet when he opened the door to show she was gone but the kids didn't know that and thought Rocco was simply amazing. She could hear them cheering and awing over where Rachel had gone before it was time for Rocco to make her reappear. She waited patiently in silence for the signal that it would be okay to open the door again until her attention was taken away from Rocco's voice and brought to something else, something within the box.

Rachel had been in that box probably over a hundred times now but she had never noticed it before. There was a light shining onto the door from behind her. It was the dullest glow of light but it was definitely there when it hadn't ever been before.

Maneuvering herself to look behind her Rachel attempted to find the source of the light. Had the back begun to crack or was she just going crazy from having to perform this stupid trick nearly every day?

Her eyes found the tiny slit going down the middle of the back of the cabinet. There was definitely light coming through it. She pressed on the crack to see if it were real and as she did so the reddish beam of light grew wider as the slit creaked open more.

Rachel was so confused and a little scared that out of nowhere a crack appeared in the back of her boss's prop and was creaking open. She hoped Rocco wouldn't blame her for his cabinet breaking and make her pay for it.

Just as she was about to ignore it and turn back around to make her sudden reappearance and wow the little kids in the audience, a voice not belonging to anyone she knew could be heard through the crack.

"Hello?" the deep voice called out from beyond the back of the cabinet. Rachel gulped nervously. "Is someone there?"

Rachel wanted to turn around and pretend this was not happening. This could not be happening! Rachel couldn't afford health insurance to cover therapy, if she was going crazy she'd have to become a ward of the state.

Her eyes closed tightly as she tried to make the light go away. She pleaded with herself that this all was a dream and she'd wake up in her tiny apartment to get ready for another day as a lowly assistant. Only when her eyes opened once more they fell on something she certainly never expected.

Standing in front of her wearing only a pair of what she could only refer to as knickerbockers was a very tall man with unkempt brown hair and the most beautiful whiskey eyes she had ever seen. He stared at her with a mixture of awe and confusion as he took in her form. Then his face cracked into a smile.

"Are you a princess?" he asked, gesturing to the getup Rachel was wearing. She looked down at herself to remember what exactly she had on before looking back at the man with wide eyes. She tried to speak but nothing came out. Rachel cleared her throat and tried again.

"Um, not...not really. This is, um, it's a costume for my job. America doesn't have princesses," she replied quietly and very unsure of herself.

"What's America?" the man asked scrunching his eyebrows together. Rachel looked at him in disbelief.

"You know, America, the United States. The country we're in right now." She waved her hands around to make her point.

The man chuckled at her. "I'm not sure where you think you are but I can guarantee you it's not _America_ as you call it. Right now you're in my bedroom in my home in the Kingdom of McKinley. I'm not sure how you got into my closet but I can't say that I mind." He flashed her a cocky smirk.

Rachel was still hung up on the 'not in America' thing however. "You're trying to tell me we're in some kingdom? Is this like Great Britain or something? Wait, no, that still doesn't make sense. Look, I don't know who you are or what exactly is going on here but there's no way I'm in some random kingdom I've never heard of. I'm in Manhattan in New York in the United States and there's no possible way I could be anywhere else." She balled her hands into fists and placed them on her hips.

The man just laughed at her and Rachel couldn't help but notice how adorable his smile and laugh were and also how sizzling his bare chest was now that she really looked at it. Rachel shook any thoughts she might have had about licking his abs from her mind then stared into his face determinedly again.

The tall man looked down at her pointedly. "I don't know who you are or how you got here but you're lucky I haven't called the guards on you. You're trespassing on private property dressed like a princess when you aren't one talking about imaginary places I've never heard of. I could have you locked up in the loony bin for this but since you're cute I'll pretend like you're a guest of mine if anyone asks," the man said, turning around to head further into his room.

Rachel was a bit stunned. Did this supremely attractive man just call her cute? That never happened before. She always attracted creepers like her next door neighbor Jacob. Contrary to his belief, Jewfros were never going to be in style and them living next to each other was a not a sign from God that they should 'do it and make hot Jew babies' as he had not so eloquently and grossly put it.

Rachel followed him further into his room, noticing the surroundings. There were no lamps and the furniture looked like antiques except they were completely new. The reddish light Rachel had seen was coming from candles sitting on a desk in one of those old fashioned candelabras. The room was absolutely beautiful and fit for royalty.

"You think I'm cute?" she asked before she could stop the words from flowing out her mouth.

The man lied down on his king size four poster bed crossing one leg over the other and lacing his fingers behind his head to cradle it on his fluffy pillows. His eyes scanned her body as he appraised her more fully. "Yeah, you're pretty hot." Rachel couldn't stop herself from blushing.

"You're pretty hot yourself," she mumbled, not fully realizing she'd just admitted that out loud.

The man smiled a little smugly. "So what's your name? I think it only fair you share it since you did come out of my cabinet."

Rachel looked back over at the cabinet and her eyes widened. It looked exactly like the one Rocco used in his show. She turned her attention back to the man lying on the bed, waiting for her name.

She hesitantly spoke. "I'm Rachel, Rachel Berry. And you are?"

The man sat up on the bed before rolling out of it. He stood up straight in front of Rachel.

"Finn." He took Rachel's hand and kissed the back of it as he looked deeply into her eyes. "And it's a pleasure to meet you Miss Berry of America."

Rachel shuddered at the sound of her name falling from his lips and felt herself growing wet just from the single touch. What was going on? Rachel never lost her head over men yet here she was about to turn into a gooey lust pool because a man she just met kissed her hand and said she was cute...a man she met inside of a cabinet. Oh no, Rocco's show!

Rachel realized just how long she had been gone and knew Rocco would be wondering where the hell she literally disappeared to. Though Rachel really wasn't ready to leave this strange fantasy her brain had cooked up yet she knew she had to.

"I'm sorry, I have to go. It was nice meeting you...even if you probably are just a figment of my imagination." Rachel pulled her hand from Finn's grasp and began walking back in the direction of the cabinet.

Finn quirked an eyebrow at Rachel's statement then followed after her in confusion. "Wait, hold on." He spun Rachel around to face him. She looked worried. "You can't leave after we've just met. I mean, you seem a little crazy but you seem really nice too. I could use someone nice to talk to," he stated meekly. Rachel looked into his eyes which were giving off the slightest hint of sadness. "Don't leave yet."

Rachel watched Finn take her hand and hold onto it. Her mouth fell open to speak. "I'm very sorry Finn but I need to go. I was in the middle of working and my boss is depending on me." She looked around her hoping she wouldn't regret the next words out of her mouth. "When I'm done working I'll see if I can come back," she suggested uncertainty in her voice.

Rachel had no idea how she had gotten there in the first place much less how she would get back but something in the way Finn stared at her made her want to try. She just hoped it wouldn't be a promise she couldn't keep.

Finn smiled at her as he gripped her hand tighter. "Please do. I promise I'll be more appropriately dressed when you come back." They both looked down at Finn's bare chest, Rachel trying very hard not to reach out and feel his skin and muscle under her fingers.

"Oh, it's okay. I don't mind how you're dressed right now." Rachel wanted to face palm herself. Why couldn't she control her mouth? Finn simply smirked at her again. "I really do need to go now."

Rachel dropped Finn's hand and turned to walk back into the cabinet. She took one final look at the more than likely fictional man who had somehow managed to steal her heart in a matter of minutes before closing the door and facing the front again. Everything was pitch black as Rachel stood there. There was no light and no gap in the wall behind her, just black.

Rachel steeled herself for her reentry into her harsh reality before opening the trap door to find the front door still closed and locked. She tried pushing on it but it wouldn't budge. Then she heard Rocco's voice and the door opened again to reveal the bright room 20 kids were clapping in.

To say she was confused was an understatement. Rachel could have sworn she had been gone for several minutes yet as she stepped out of the cabinet it was as if no time had passed at all.

Rocco noticed Rachel's expression and moved to whisper to her. "Rachel, are you alright?"

Rachel stared back at her boss. Was she alright?

"I don't know."


	2. This Isn't Narnia!

Kind of a short chapter but a necessary one. The next one will be longer I promise. :)

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><p>Finn couldn't believe it. A random beautiful girl, no, woman waltzed right out of his ancient cabinet into his room and managed to wiggle her way into his heart in the too short amount of time they had spent together. The even better part was that she hadn't recognized him at all.<p>

That was always the problem. They always recognized him ruining any chance of knowing whether what they felt was real or not. Finn wanted real love, not superficial love the way many of the women his mother tried to force on him felt fine with. All those women wanted Finn for his crown, not because they liked him as a man or even a person.

Even when he would sneak off and have dalliances with common women in the kingdom Finn still couldn't find what he was looking for. In some ways the common women were even worse than the privileged ones. They had never known luxury so when they figured out Finn was the King of McKinley they fought to hold onto him and in some cases would even beg for him to marry them. They stopped caring about him and only worried about what being with him could mean.

But not Rachel. She hadn't recognized him, hell she hadn't even known where she was. To her he was just some guy, just Finn, just what he always wanted to be. She had behaved so openly with him, which was refreshing as everyone always acted so prim and proper around him. And the way she stared at him, at his body, the way her eyes grew bigger and her pupils dilated... He wished he could see those big chocolaty eyes again.

He laid back on his bed staring at the canopy over top wondering if and when he'd get to see her again. She said she would come back but after he thought about it and how exactly she had come and went, it left him scratching his head. She walked into and out of his room through his coat cabinet. It wasn't exactly a grand entry way. When he examined the cabinet upon her departure he became even more puzzled. The back was solid wood and there was no secret opening in it or the wall behind the piece. Where the heck did she come from?

A knock on the door pulled Finn from his thoughts of Rachel's mysterious appearance in his bedroom.

"Finny? Can I come in?" his mother's voice called from the other side of the door.

Finn got out of bed and opened the door to let his mother in. She was dressed to impress in one of her best gowns and crowns.

"Finn, why aren't you dressed yet? Didn't Kurt lay out an outfit for you? Lady Fabray and Quinn will be here soon," she chastised as she walked over to his curtains to draw them back and let in some sunlight. "You can't meet your future bride in a ratty old pair of knickerbockers. Now get dressed!"

Finn groaned. "Mom, for the last time! I'm not marrying Quinn no matter what agreement you and Lady Fabray have come to without my consent. I will be picking who I marry."

It wasn't exactly that he didn't like Quinn - she was very pretty - he just didn't want to marry her because he was being forced to. Maybe if they got to know each other over time he could love her, maybe, but that was the other problem. He didn't want to learn to love someone. He wanted to be able to know he was in love right away and know he was loved in return. Was that so much to ask?

"Finn, you have weaseled your way out of every betrothal I have set up for you. You will not be doing it again. You are 23 years old and with your father gone you are king."

"Thanks for reminding me Mom, I had completely forgotten that the entire well being of the kingdom rests on my shoulders," he cut in with acidic sarcasm.

His mother glared at him clearly not amused with his attitude. "My point, if you would have let me make it is that as king certain things are expected of you. Taking a wife is a pretty big one. Having children with that wife is even bigger. You realize if you died right now our rule would revert to your Aunt Sue, right? That can't happen, I won't let it. She would destroy this kingdom with her tyrannical rule she's been planning since she was old enough for conscious thought."

"Well it's a good thing I don't plan on dying anytime soon," he shot back, tossing himself onto his bed and flinging his arm over his eyes. They had this conversation practically every day it seemed. He knew what was at stake if something were to happen to him. Aunt Sue was a nut job who on more than one occasion had tried to off him since birth but he wasn't going to let her scare him into marriage with someone he didn't want to be married to.

His mother threw a clean shirt and pants at him. "Get dressed. I expect you to be clean and ready to greet Lady Fabray and Quinn when they arrive." She narrowed her eyes at her son.

What was Finn doing? He was the king for crying out loud! If he didn't want to do something he shouldn't have to. "No, I'm not doing it Mom! I'm the king. You don't control what I do!" he roared at his mother.

She just rubbed her eyes. He always pulled this on her but it never worked. At his heart he was still a scared little boy who worried about being able to rule on his own. He needed her to continue on.

"You're right. You're the king. You can do what you want. I guess that means I can just retire off to the chateau for the rest of my life and leave the kingdom entirely in your hands. After all, the whole thing rests on your big boy shoulders. I'm sure you're more than capable of running this kingdom all by yourself."

She turned and headed for the door counting in her head.

"Fine, I'll say hello," Finn said through gritted teeth.

Four seconds. Four seconds for him to realize he still needed her. She smiled to herself. "I'll send someone up when they arrive," she announced without turning back around before exiting. The door shut leaving Finn sulking alone in his bedroom.

Back in Manhattan Rachel was shaken to her core. What the hell just happened? One minute she was in Manhattan at a little girl's birthday party and the next she was in some Kingdom of McKinley. It sounded more like the name of a high school than a kingdom but still, that wasn't normal. It had to be a brain aneurysm; that was the only explanation. There wasn't some strange kingdom with the most attractive man she'd ever seen inside of Rocco's old vanishing cabinet. This wasn't the freaking _Chronicles of Narnia_!

"Rachel, what's wrong?" Rocco asked bringing her back.

Rachel stared at the older man. "Nothing. Just having some difficulty readjusting to the lighting is all." Rachel smiled and waved her hand in dismissal. There was no way she could tell Rocco what just happened. He'd never believe her, she didn't even believe her.

Their set was over but the woman who had hired Rocco offered them both some cake and ice cream. Rachel wasn't one for cake or ice cream unless it was vegan but she thanked the woman nonetheless then went about packing up while Rocco enjoyed his cake.

The entire time Rachel put their things away she thought about Finn and the chances that what had happened actually occurred and it wasn't just some crazy dreamland she had made up. One way to find out would be to check the cabinet again.

Making sure no one was watching her, Rachel opened the cabinet and stood inside it. She pulled the trap door back and just saw the back of the cabinet like she usually did. There was no opening down the center, no light coming into it, just a plain wooden board. Rachel's face fell and her heart sank as the excitement she didn't realize she had, began to drain.

She had made it up. There was no man in the cabinet waiting for her to come back to his mystical kingdom. How could there be when there was no opening in the back and this was just a regular old magician's vanishing cabinet?

But if she made it up that meant she could get back to it in her mind right? She closed her eyes and thought of the place she so desperately wanted to escape to once more but only visions of the past came to her mind; visions of the man and those beautiful sad eyes.

"Miss Rachel, what are you doing?" a child's voice called from behind, startling Rachel and making her heart race. She turned around to see a small girl wearing a Cinderella costume staring at her.

Rachel stepped out of the cabinet and closed the door behind her. She smiled at the girl.  
>"I was just looking to see how Rocco made me disappear earlier. He's so good, even I don't know how he did it," Rachel said in total truth.<p>

"I do!" She leaned closer to whisper to Rachel. "It's magic," she asserted in wonder.

"You know, I think you're right," Rachel said to the girl with a smile. Just then another little girl walked into the room.

"Megan, Ashley is opening presents now!"

Megan looked up at Rachel. "I gotta go. Thanks for the show!"

Rachel waved goodbye to the child then turned to look back at the cabinet, arms crossed over her chest and a thought bubble brewing.

"Yeah, magic."

About an hour later, Rachel was in her dressing room removing her princess costume. She stared at herself wearing only her bra and panties in the mirror examining her appearance. She didn't think she was a creature from the Black Lagoon or anything but she had never considered herself hot like Finn had said she was. Would he still find her hot if he ever saw her as bare as she had seen him?

Shivering at the slight breeze coming through the window, Rachel pulled on her blue polka dot tank top with the cute ruffle and buttons down the middle and her simple white cotton skirt. It was warm that summery day and Rachel thought it would be nice to dress up a little for it.

Rachel exited her dressing room and found Rocco in the living room watching television. "I'm going to head out now Rocco. I'll see you for that Bat Mitzvah party tomorrow."

"Alright Rachel. Have a good night!" he called back.

She made it to the door when Rachel realized she had left her purse in her room. Quickly Rachel ran down the hall passing by the prop room on her way before turning around and stopping in front of the door.

What was she doing? Rachel had already dismissed the strange occurrence as a form of hallucination brought on by stress from having such a horrible life. Against her better judgment Rachel turned the knob on the door anyway and entered the small room.

The cabinet was right at the front as it was the last thing Rocco and Rachel had brought in. As she had done before, Rachel examined the exterior then interior of the cabinet. The back wall was still completely solid. This was crazy! There was no way McKinley and Finn were real. Rachel turned to walk out of the cabinet, ready to leave the whole mess behind her until a thought occurred to her.

The front door was open. When she had stumbled upon this mystery crack the door had been shut. Maybe that was the difference, the door needed to be shut in order for whatever made it happen to work.

Adrenaline coursing through her veins as the very real possibility of seeing Finn again crossed her mind Rachel shut the front door of the cabinet then opened the trap door. There it was again, the light she had seen before. Her face lit up as she realized her guess had been correct.


	3. Liar Liar, Pants On Fire

Just want to give a big thanks to everyone who reviewed, favorited, alerted, etc. It means so much to me, especially the reviews because they keep me motivated and let me know how I'm doing. So thank you all! Hope you enjoy this chapter!

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><p>Finn had gotten ready as his mother wished but it wasn't for Quinn and Lady Fabray. He was hoping to impress Rachel a little bit when she came back, if she came back.<p>

He still didn't fully understand how it all worked with the cabinet. He supposed it was magic, something that wasn't entirely unbelievable within their world. Professor Schuester often spoke of it even if he didn't himself practice it. Whatever it was Finn hoped it would happen again and soon.

Standing in the doorway between his room and balcony, Finn looked out at the garden below. It was a giant maze that was so easy to get lost in for hours. Though he was standing above it merely looking down he somehow still felt like he was in the maze.

Everything was so difficult to navigate once his father died. Finn wasn't supposed to become king until much later in life but instead he became the youngest king since his great-great-great grandfather. He had only been 17 at the time, still just a kid who wanted nothing more than to play sports with his friends, mess around with girls and just generally slack off. But then his father got sick.

It had come on fast and for days it was like he was waging war within his body. Fever took hold and wouldn't release no matter how hard he tried and the whole time Finn had stood by helplessly not even being able to visit for fear that he too would catch the sickness and perish. He was the end of the Hudson line, not even a sister or close male cousin to take over if Finn was gone. Bat-shit-crazy Aunt Sue would take power and it would spell certain doom for everyone if that happened.

The pressure on Finn became so much greater with his father's last breath therefore making every decision that much more important. Finn never knew what to do. He wasn't ready to rule over an entire kingdom yet, he could barely decide on orange or apple juice for breakfast! So his mother played regent.

Queen Carole had been an amazing ruler since King Christopher had passed. She had played mother to all when that was exactly what the kingdom needed and brought people out of their sadness over the loss of their king. She brought prosperity and peace to McKinley and her guidance had been equal to any man that had ever ruled. The only problem was, no one knew all she had done as every order, every idea had gone through Finn.

Since she had only married into the family she couldn't be the leader herself. It was a stupid rule that Finn wished to abolish so she could take over but Carole refused to allow it. She never wished to rule. She wanted her son to step up and take control and be the leader everyone needed and wanted but he never had. Finn wanted to. He wanted so bad to be the king everyone wanted and needed but there was so much self-doubt within him he was afraid to even try.

Then there was the whole issue of finding a wife. Before his father died he had all the time in the world to search for the right woman and to fall in love. But then his father did die and all time was lost. For six years his mother had been trying to force him into marriages he didn't want. He knew he needed to find someone to carry on the line but no one felt right.

He never knew how to get out of the maze.

"Finn?" a melodic voice called from behind him. He turned around to come face to face with the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen.

Rachel stood before him nervously playing with the hem of the most scandalous thing he'd ever seen a lady wear. She was showing off so much skin he was afraid he'd pop a boner right then and there.

"That's quite the outfit," he choked out adjusting his blue overcoat.

Rachel looked down at herself. "It was really warm out today."

"I wish all women were as bold as you to dress like that when it was warm." His eyes smoldered as he stared at the tanned skin of her upper body before they lowered to look at her shapely legs.

"It's really not all that revealing. Just on my way to work I saw a woman only wearing booty shorts and a tube top bra."

Finn wasn't sure what those were but he had a feeling it meant less than what Rachel had on. He gulped at imagining Rachel in less than she had on now.

"Do women in America always dress as freely as that?" he asked with great interest.

Rachel shrugged. "Sometimes. Why? Do they not here?"

Finn shook his head no. "The most skin they show normally is from about here up." He lightly traced an outline of necklines in McKinley on Rachel's chest. The light touches made both of them a bit hotter.

Rachel swallowed thickly before attempting to speak again. "I could, um, go home and change if-"

"No!" Finn practically screamed, putting his hands out to stop her. She looked a little taken aback. "I mean, you look lovely and I don't want you to have to go all the way home..."

Rachel played with her hem more as she stared at the floor with a small smile. "Okay," she replied meekly. She looked up biting her lip. "So you said you could use someone nice to talk to. Are there not any nice people in McKinley?"

Finn motioned for Rachel to join him out on the balcony where a table and chairs were set up. He pulled a chair out for her before sitting down himself.

"There are but sometimes I can't tell if they're really nice or just trying to get on my good side. I can tell that you're just nice all the time."

"Well not all the time. Sometimes I can get a little naughty," Rachel replied in a flirtatious manner that appeared from nowhere. What was going on with her head? Finn gulped as Rachel quickly tried to change the subject. "So Finn, tell me about McKinley."

Finn cleared his throat and sat up straighter. "Um, well, McKinley is McKinley. There's the main town which is about a mile away. That's where all the shops are and where people go for fun. Right now we're in the cas-I mean, house I live in."

Rachel smiled at him. "What do people do for fun?"

"Drink mostly. At least in my experience that's what they do. On festival days there're games and plays and stuff. They're fun. My friends and I, we like sports. I'm the jousting champion of McKinley three years running now," he said in a proud tone. He wasn't outright trying to impress Rachel with his athletic prowess but it seemed to be working anyway. Rachel looked at him a little dreamily before realizing she had a goofy grin on her face.

"So what about you? What's, Manhattan, is that what it's called, like?"

Rachel took a deep breath before speaking quickly. "Yes, it is Manhattan. Manhattan is great. There's so much to do there with the night clubs and bars and museums and stores. Then there's Broadway. That's the whole reason I moved to New York to begin with. I wanted to be on Broadway but things didn't exactly work out that way, so now I work for Rocco."

"As a pretend princess?" Finn asked recalling the outfit she wore when they first met.

"Sometimes. I have other outfits I wear too. They're all really embarrassing though so I'll spare the details." Rachel really did not want to get into all the costumes Rocco forced on her, especially Rainy Rachel the Sad Clown. That was the absolute worst thing she had to dress up as. Wanting to change the subject from her depressing job, Rachel asked Finn a question that had been on her mind.

"So, if McKinley is a kingdom that means there's a monarchy right? That's fascinating. I've always been intrigued by royalty and the pomp and circumstance surrounding it. When you're king or queen everyone knows who you are."

Finn smiled awkwardly. "Yeah that's one of the current king's problems."

Rachel looked disbelieving. "Why would having everyone know who you are be a problem? It's what I've been striving for my entire life," she queried seriously.

Finn shrugged. "I guess he just feels like it's harder for people to get to know the real him when all they care about is the king and crown part of him."

Rachel's mouth twitched. "I guess I could see that. I have the opposite problem. People get to know the real me and get turned off by it."

"Why would they? You seem really awesome." Finn smiled brightly at her.

"Thank you. I guess my personality is just too big for some people to handle."

"Well I'm a pretty big guy," he joked. Rachel laughed. "Honestly though, the king, he just wishes people could look at him like a person instead of an object. Even his own mother does it sometimes. Don't get me wrong, she's a great mom to the king but she won't let him find his own way when it comes to finding love." Finn gave Rachel a look she couldn't place. "She keeps trying to marry him off to girls she thinks would be good for the kingdom but that doesn't mean they're good for him."

Rachel looked at him sympathetically. "That's horrible. True love is one of the most beautiful things there is and being forced to marry someone sounds awful." She looked thoughtful for a moment. "You really seem to know a lot about the king," she commented.

Finn rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "Yeah, well, me and him are pretty close. We go way back." It wasn't a total lie.

"What's he like? Besides a hopeless romantic?" she chuckled.

"The guy's alright. He's pretty nice, decently good looking, a bit cocky sometimes, loves sports and sneaking out into public just to see what it's like not being him. He's not too great of a leader really though. He's kinda scared to take on that much responsibility yet so his mom still runs things behind the scenes. He feels like a giant tool for being too chicken to grow up and deal with everything instead of letting his mom do all the work for him but he can't seem to shake the feeling that he'll just screw everything up. His dad never taught him how to be a good king. He'd have to do everything alone." Finn couldn't believe he'd just told her all that. Finn never told anyone that!

Rachel gripped his hand. "Running a kingdom by oneself does seem pretty daunting. I'd be scared too but I'm sure eventually he'll come around. It sounds to me like he's just so scared of failing that he doesn't even want to try. If he never tries though, he won't know if he could ever be a good king or not. With a great support system he could do it, I'm sure. He needs to realize he isn't alone. He would still have his mother and a great friend like you. You should tell him that." She smiled at him.

This girl believed in him and she didn't even know him, so why couldn't he believe in himself?

"Yeah, I will."

He stared into her eyes and found himself getting lost in them. They were so big and brown and kind. She stared back intently as their heads drew closer together.

"You know, you can kiss me if you want to," she told him quietly.

He leaned in even closer, their mouths centimeters apart.

"I want to."

Without another word Finn closed the gap and pressed his lips lightly against hers. It was like an explosion of the senses as their lips touched. Finn felt tingly all over and wanted so badly to run his hands over every inch of Rachel's body but he was afraid that might be taking things a little too far. His heart beat loudly in his chest, sounding in his ears.

A few seconds into that first kiss, Finn pulled away and stared deeply into Rachel's smiling eyes before capturing her lips once more with his. This second kiss was even more impassioned and this time Finn brought his hands up to cup Rachel's face. She parted her lips as Finn dared to run his tongue along them and tentatively meshed her tongue to his.

Being so bold as to believe this could continue in a more private and more comfortable area, Finn began to stand and pulled Rachel up with him. She had to stand on her tip toes while Finn had to bend down to reach her mouth as they walked back into his bedroom and closed the balcony door behind them. Finn moved forward and Rachel moved backward as they eagerly walked to Finn's bed.

When they got there Finn lifted her up and broke their kiss only to gently press her down onto the mattress. He hovered over her, settling between her legs, as she wrapped her arms around his neck and her knees around his hips. Finn wasn't so afraid to touch Rachel now as she seemed to be responding to everything he was doing. If she wanted to stop of course he would but she showed no signs of wanting to slow down. He brought his hand to rest on her hip where he slowly pushed the fabric of her shirt up as his hand slid up her creamy smooth torso. He was nearly at her breast when a girlish cry broke them apart.

"King Finn! I'm, I'm so sorry to intrude your majesty. I did knock but there was no answer and your mother..." Finn stopped hearing Kurt's words as he grudgingly pulled himself away from Rachel to glare daggers at his friend and personal assistant. He'd lose his head without Kurt around but at times like these Kurt was the last person he wanted to see.

Rachel sat up and got off the bed, a comprehending expression crossing her features. "Hold on. Did he call you King Finn? Why would he call you that?"

Kurt snorted. "Were you dropped on your head? Everyone knows that Finn is the king."

"Kurt," Finn growled as his nostrils flared and his teeth grit. "A word?"

"No, Finn. What is going on? I think I deserve to know considering..." she trailed off pointing to the bed, no explanation necessary.

Finn's mouth was open as he stared at Rachel trying to explain. Kurt however cut in again.

"Your majesty, I do apologize but Lady Fabray and Quinn have arrived and your mother is insistent on you coming downstairs to discuss wedding details."

Now Finn really wanted to strangle Kurt as his words sank into Rachel's brain.

"You're getting married!" Rachel screeched at him.

Finn laughed without humor as he rubbed the back of his neck. "Sorta, but not really."

"How are you 'sorta, but not really' getting married? You either are or you aren't! It's as simple as that!" She crossed her arms over her chest and stared him down with flames in her eyes.

Finn moved closer to her to speak lowly. "It's not as simple as that for me though. Kurt's right, I am the king of McKinley and my mother is trying to marry me off but I'm fighting so hard against it."

"But if you're king, why can't you just say no? And why would you pretend to be someone else?" she asked sadly. Finn was rather surprised by her reaction. Most women he'd met would instantly flip on the charm and try to persuade Finn to marry them instead but here Rachel was looking devastated at discovering the truth. It was like she wanted him more before she knew who he really was.

"Your majesty, if you don't come soon your mother will come up here..." Kurt said once more.

Finn was torn. He wanted to stay here and explain everything to Rachel but he knew his mother would come upstairs if he didn't go down. She'd find Rachel and want to know who she was and since Finn didn't know the answer to that question too well himself yet, he was not ready to go there with his mother.

"Rachel, I swear, I will explain everything when I get back. Just please stay here until I do. Please," he practically begged her. She didn't say a word as he slowly backed away from her sending her one last apologetic and pleading glance. Kurt followed behind him leaving Rachel alone in the king's bedroom.

She collapsed onto the bed and began silently crying. She was so stupid! How could she ever think Finn could like her? That had to be why he lied. He didn't think her good enough for him as king so he kept that piece of information hidden and played her as a common man just to get into her pants. She was so stupid to allow her heart to open so willingly to a man she didn't even know. Rachel nearly gave herself entirely to him, she was sure of it. If Kurt hadn't of come in and ruined the moment Rachel and Finn would have made love then when he'd had his fill, back through the cabinet he'd shove her. He was about to marry some beautiful princess or something and she was just the last fling of a soon-to-be married man.

That amazing kiss had been a trick and she had fallen for it hard. All the feelings, both physical and emotional had been lies. Finn didn't care about her; he cared about sleeping with her.

Feeling like a fool Rachel stood up from the bed and walked into the cabinet. She took one look behind her at the place that had been both the most amazing and worst experience of her life then shut the door reentering her own world vowing never to return to Finn's.


	4. So The Pursuit Begins

I wasn't going to post this until tomorrow but I'm just so dang excited about Glee tonight that I decided to put it up now. Enjoy!

* * *

><p>Finn entered the grand hall to find his mother, Lady Fabray and Quinn chatting gaily with one another about things he probably wouldn't care about in the least. He strode up to the women disrupting their conversation.<p>

"Hello and goodbye!" Finn greeted curtly turning around to head back upstairs.

"Excuse me, Finn, where do you think you're going?" his mother asked staring at him disapprovingly.

"I said I would come down to say hello and that's what I did so if you'll excuse me..."

Carole's voice rose. "You are not excused and you will come back right now." Her tone suggested that Finn would pay dearly if he didn't do as told.

"Can we make this quick? I'm busy," Finn barked out unhappily. He wanted to get back to Rachel.

Carole scoffed. "What could you be busy with? Everyone who keeps you busy is here. Now Finn, Lady Fabray and I have decided that your wedding will take place on the first Saturday of next month. That should give the event planners enough time to get everything ready and to build up a big enough buzz around the kingdom. With any luck Aunt Sue will hear of your nuptials and stop her crazy bid to take over McKinley because hopefully an heir won't be too far behind the wedding."

Quinn couldn't help but giggle as Finn looked at her while his mother spoke of an heir.

He shook his head furiously. "Mom, I'm not marrying Quinn!" He turned to the blonde his mother was insisting on. "Quinn this is nothing on you. You're very pretty and smart and you'd make any guy happy I'm sure but I'm just not into you that way. I want to find someone myself."

Quinn pursed her lips as she stared at the floor.

Lady Fabray spoke up. "Your majesty, I can assure you there is no finer woman in McKinley to marry. Quinn would make a fabulous queen and give you an heir-"

"I'm sure there isn't and she would but I still don't want to marry your daughter. So you three can make all the plans you want for a wedding but I won't be showing up." Finn turned around to walk away and nearly ran into Kurt who had been standing very close behind him. "Excuse me." He moved the smaller man out of the way.

"Finn, if you leave right now I am done," Carole threatened. Finn paused in his tracks.

He was at a crossroad. Finn could turn around like a good little boy, marry Quinn, make a bunch of babies and continue to let his mother make choices for him and be miserable the rest of his life or he could man-up, take full responsibility for himself and his position the first time in his life, go upstairs and explain everything to Rachel and potentially find the true love and happiness he'd been searching for.

Continuing to walk without facing the group again Finn made his choice. "Consider yourself retired, Mom."

Carole's mouth dropped as she watched her son walk away from her. She apologetically smiled at Lady Fabray and Quinn before excusing herself to follow after Finn.

"Finn, what are you doing?" she whispered harshly at Finn as they walked down the long hallway to the back stairwell to Finn's floor.

"I'm doing something I should have done a long time ago. Like you said, I'm 23. It's time to grow up and stop being so scared of failing that I never even try." Rachel's words had been in his brain since she spoke them.

"What changed since this morning?" she asked, pride growing in her voice.  
>Finn stopped and turned to face her. "Mom, can we maybe talk about this later? There's something I have to do right now."<p>

She shook her head and looked like she wanted to cry. Carole brought her hand up to caress Finn's cheek. "I'm so proud of you, Finn." Finn smiled. For once he actually felt like he had done something to be proud of. "But I still think you should marry Quinn."

Finn rolled his eyes and turned around to continue to his room.

"Just because you've decided to take responsibility that still doesn't solve all your problems. You need a wife and Quinn is available and would make a great one!" his mother crowed.

"I know that, Mom and I'm working on it." Finn picked up his pace when he hit the stairs. "You should send Quinn and Lady Fabray home. Their services are not required at this time."

Carole stared after her pigheaded son. Though he may have relieved her of her queenly duties he could never relieve her of her motherly duties and as his mother it was her responsibility to make sure Finn would be happy. Once he got to know Quinn he'd see that she could make him happy. Carole turned around to go back to her guests, wedding plans swirling in her head.

Finn jogged to his door and hastily stepped inside. "Rachel, let me explain...Rachel?" He looked around his empty room finding no sign of Rachel. His brow furrowed in frustration as he sank down onto his bed. She left. He'd lost her and now he could never tell her that he'd stood up to his mother on the wedding front and was trying to become the man Rachel unwittingly said he could be.

His eyes came to rest on the cabinet Rachel always came and went through when an idea popped into his head. If Rachel could come and go as she pleased why couldn't he? True he was much bigger than Rachel but for something as important as this he could make himself fit.

That was it! Finn could go through the door himself and find Rachel! He could explain everything to her and convince Rachel to come back with him. After all, how big could this Manhattan be?

Feeling a wave of rejuvenation wash over him, Finn quickly changed into some more comfortable less conspicuous clothing and stood in front of the door. He knew very little about this world Rachel came from so he had no idea what to expect. No matter what he encountered on the other side of the door however he had to keep going to find her. Finn couldn't let things end this way.

Doing as he had seen Rachel do, Finn ducked into the cabinet and closed the door behind him. Nothing seemed to happen except now he was stuck in a small dark space with a bunch of coats. He pushed forward and felt the back wall of the cabinet give way to another small dark space. He stepped into it and felt around until a sliver of light shone through the one corner in front of him. He pushed against it and the door swung wide open with a slight creak.

Finn stepped out and found himself in a small room filled with junk. There were so many objects he'd never seen before in his life that were intriguing but they were not the point of this trip. The point was to find Rachel. Keeping that one fact in mind Finn pressed onward opening the room's door and storming outside.

Loudly, Finn stomped down the hall calling Rachel's name until he came across an older man.

"You sir, do you know Rachel Berry? She's short with long brown hair-"

"Who the hell are you and how did you get in my house?" Rocco yelled at the intruder who seemed to come from nowhere. He grabbed the closest heaviest object and lifted it to protect himself.

"Sir, calm down. I'm not here to harm you. My name is Finn Hudson and I'm just trying to find Rachel Berry. She's my friend and I need to talk to her."

Rocco wasn't buying it though. "Why should I believe anything you say? You broke into my house dressed like some Renaissance fair reject!"

Finn looked down at his clothes then compared them with what Rocco wore. Based on Rachel's attire and the man before him clearly Finn was not dressed appropriately for Manhattan.

"Could I possibly borrow some clothing?" Finn asked the man politely.

"Get out of my house!" he roared, running at Finn whose expression turned to one of terror as the older man lunged at him with a statuette of a ballerina.

He chased him all the way down the stairs and outside into the street. Unfortunately for Finn, the outside was overwhelming and forced him to pause and admire. While he was stalled and staring in awe at the massive buildings standing around him and the brightly colored vehicles and people, Rocco managed to land a blow against Finn's head with the statuette.

Finn crumpled to the ground on the sidewalk outside Rocco's apartment building and as he lay there lifeless Rocco began to panic. He had just bludgeoned a man over the head in broad daylight in the middle of a crowded street.

With great difficulty as the unconscious man weighed a ton, Rocco dragged him back over to the door of his building and into the entryway. There wasn't a doorman for his building so Rocco quickly rushed upstairs to call 911.

While he waited for the ambulance Rocco checked Finn's pulse and breathing which were both fine. A little under 10 minutes later the ambulance arrived and carted Finn and Rocco off to the nearest hospital.

When they arrived at the ER Finn was taken for tests on his head while Rocco called Rachel. When the EMT asked how Finn had been knocked unconscious he made up a story so the police wouldn't get involved. He figured getting clobbered over the head by a ballerina was enough of a punishment and he didn't want to end up in trouble himself for hitting him. Plus he really didn't seem all that dangerous when Rocco thought back on it. He had been merely surprised by his sudden presence in his house. And he knew Rachel.

Since Finn had no identifying records of any kind, Rocco gave Rachel a call to see if she could suss out what was happening.

Earlier that evening, Rachel left Rocco's sad and angry, feeling like an idiot. She walked all the way home to try to clear her head but no matter how hard she tried Rachel could not get Finn out of her mind. If she wasn't thinking about how hot he got her or how amazing his kisses had been, she was thinking about how big of a jerk he had to be to lie about who he was and conveniently forget to mention he was engaged to be married. Who does those things?

When she made it home, Rachel angrily ripped the cushions off her couch and pulled her bed out to fling her body onto it face down. She lied there crying for she didn't even know how long, trying in vain to begin getting over cabinet man. It should have been easy; she barely knew the man, obviously, so why wasn't it? Rachel thought that must be what people meant when they said a person could come into your life for an instant but change you forever. Rachel's life totally sucked.

To make matters even worse her phone started to ring. There were only three people who had her number as she had no friends and she didn't feel like talking to any of them. She knew if she didn't answer for her fathers though they would freak and be on the next flight out to New York. They constantly worried about her living alone in Manhattan and asked her to come home where she could easily get a job as a theatre or music teacher at her alma mater every time they spoke. Every time she told them no as Lima was duller than dishwater and didn't have what she wanted. Maybe this time she wouldn't fight them. What was the point of staying in New York if she wasn't even trying to make it on Broadway anymore?

Without checking who it was calling Rachel answered the phone and mumbled out a hello.

"Rachel? Hi, it's Rocco."

"Hello Rocco. What can I help you with?" she replied dully.

"I'm at the hospital-"

"What?" Rachel cut him off, sitting up on her bed beginning to grab her stuff to go. "What hospital? I'll be right there!"

"Well Bellevue," he began to explain but Rachel cut him off again.

"I'll be there as soon as I can Rocco! Hold on!" Before he could even say anything else Rachel hung up and flew out the door.

Rocco could not die on Rachel! He was the closest thing she had to a friend in her world, not to mention if he croaked she'd have to job hunt again. Using some of her very little spare cash, Rachel took a taxi to Bellevue and raced into the ER demanding to know where Rocco was. The nurse on the phone however was more concerned with talking to her boyfriend about their evening plans.

"Hello! I need to know where Rocco del Mar is right now. This is life or death!" Rachel cried out.

"Rachel? That was fast," Rocco said walking up behind her with a smile on his face.

Rachel looked flabbergasted. "Rocco? You're fine!" Relieved her boss wasn't dead Rachel threw her arms around the man in a giant hug. Then she realized he wasn't dead. "Wait, why are we at the hospital then?"

Rocco waved for Rachel to follow him down a hallway. "If you'd have let me finish on the phone, I would have told you. I was kinda defending myself from this man who was in my house. He said he was a friend of yours. I didn't mean to hit him, he just stopped and I kept going and well, he ended up unconscious. But the good news is he woke up while you were on your way here!"

They turned into an area full of beds where Rachel could hear him before she saw him. Her heart sped up at the sound.

"...need to find Rachel. I demand you unhand me! I am the King of McKinley and-"

"Sir, I don't care if you're the King of England, you're not going anywhere until we've cleared you," the Latina said as she pressed an alcohol patch to Finn's head. He let out a sharp breath.

"Ow, that stings," he said trying to pull away.

The nurse looked rather smug. "Oops, did I forget to mention that? Sorry," she replied with false sincerity.

"Finn?" Rachel's voice shook as she pulled back the curtain to look at the man who'd been on her mind all afternoon.

As he laid eyes on her, Finn's face lit up and he tried to stand but was quickly shoved back down by the nurse.

"What did I say?" the attractive nurse said harshly, staring at him.

Rachel pushed on. "Finn, what are you doing here?"

"That man," he pointed at Rocco, "hit me over the head and knocked me out. He said an ambulance picked me up and brought me here, whatever an ambulance is."

Rachel shook her head. "No Finn, I mean, what are you doing here in New York? You shouldn't be here."

"You left before I could explain. I had to find you to tell you that I'm not getting married. I stepped up and stopped letting my mom tell me what to do-ow," he glared at the nurse who was patching up his head.

Rachel crossed her arms over her chest. "That still doesn't explain why you lied to me about who you were."

"All done! Now who does this man belong to?" the nurse asked. She looked back and forth between Rachel and Rocco while Finn and Rocco both looked at Rachel. When she realized everyone was staring at her Rachel protested.

"Well he doesn't belong to me! He doesn't belong to anyone. He isn't a slave."

"Well he isn't sane either. Look, this man came in with zero identification and no medical records at all. Ever since he woke up all he's been talking about is Rachel and whenever anyone asks who he is, he says he's the King of McKinley."

"That's because I am," Finn cut in to the woman's explanation.

"See? He's clearly lost his marbles. So I can't release him unless there is someone he can be released to. He could be dangerous to himself and to others."

"I am not! I would never harm anyone. At least not anyone who didn't deserve it…"

"Nurse," Rachel looked at the woman's name tag, "Santana, I can vouch for him. Finn may be a liar but he isn't insane." Finn looked a little hurt by her words. "If he has to be released to someone however," she chewed her lip hoping she wouldn't regret her next words, "I'll take responsibility for him."

Finn stood up and wobbled momentarily. "No, Rachel I will take responsibility for myself. I told my mother I would and-"

"Finn," Rachel glared at him trying to get him to shut up. They could talk later about all this but right now she just needed to get the man out of public so he wouldn't draw more attention and questions. "I'm taking you home right now, okay? You're going back to McKinley where you can rule as king and marry Quinn," at this he wanted to protest but Rachel continued speaking louder, "and you can forget you ever met me and we can both go on with our lives. Now come on!" Rachel forcefully grabbed Finn's arm and began dragging him to the nurse's station where he could be checked out of the hospital.

As Finn, Rocco and Rachel left the area Nurse Santana called after them. "By claiming him that means you have to pay for the bill too."

Rachel groaned as she realized the bill would probably be well out of her price range. "You so owe me Finn."

"I promise you I will pay you back when we get back to McKinley."

Rachel stopped walking and Finn slammed into her nearly knocking her off her feet. Once she righted herself she set him straight. She huffed as she pointed back and forth between the two of them. "_We_ are not going back to McKinley. _You _are going and I am staying here. We don't belong in each other's worlds, Finn! It was an accident finding you and a mistake going back. So I'm taking you back to Rocco's and sending you back."

"I'm sorry Rachel but you can't bring him back to my house." Rocco scratched his head.

"Rocco, I promise we'll be there for five minutes then we'll both be out of your hair for the night." Rocco had to let them over.

He shook his head. "I'm having a lady friend over tonight and I have to get ready. I don't have time for you and the prince here-"

"I'm a king actually," Finn corrected.

Rocco didn't look amused. "Whatever, I don't have time to entertain you two. I've only got about an hour now to make it home, shower and get the table ready for some food that I now have to order instead of make. I don't know how exactly my house plays into this but if it means you can get rid of this guy you can bring him by tomorrow." He turned to Finn. "I'm sorry for hitting you over the head with a ballerina but to be fair you did break into my house. If you wanted to know where Rachel was all you had to do was knock on the front door and ask."

Rocco didn't want to leave Rachel alone to deal with Finn but he didn't want to leave Alice waiting either. She was the first date he'd had in 10 years and Finn seemed pretty harmless even if he thought he was a king.

"Rocco, please we'll-"

"I need to go Rachel. Bring him by when you come into work. See you tomorrow." Rocco walked away and left a distraught Rachel and a triumphant Finn alone in the ER lobby.

"Come on and let's pay your bill," she moaned as she dragged Finn to the desk.

Fifteen minutes later Rachel and a mostly recovered Finn were walking toward the subway. Rachel was amazed at how amazed Finn was at everything. His eyes were wide and his mouth hung open in awe as he took in the skyscrapers and cars and lights.

"Finn! Stop!" Rachel called as he nearly walked out into the middle of an intersection against the light. Finn stepped back onto the sidewalk mere seconds before a taxi took the corner sharply and drove right over where Finn had been standing.

Finn looked apologetic as he stared down at an exasperated Rachel. "Sorry, I didn't realize the sidewalk ended."

"Finn, we have got to set some ground rules if you are going to be here until tomorrow. The first rule, do as I say. You aren't king here. This is not McKinley and if you go around telling everyone you're a king, they're going to think you're nuts. Also, Manhattan is probably a lot crazier than your kingdom so you need to stick by me because I cannot have you getting lost. Second rule, never wear that in public again." She pointed at his clothing. "Men in America haven't worn knickerbockers and stockings since the 19th century. I realize it _is_ New York and there are some pretty interesting choices of fashion wandering around these streets but for your sake you need to blend in. We can stop at K-Mart or something on the way back to my place. Do you understand?" Rachel felt like she was speaking to a child.

"I may not know everything about your world Rachel but I'm not stupid. If you want me to do those things I will. Just one question."

"What is that?"

"What is a K-Mart?"

Rachel rolled her eyes and took Finn's hand. "Just come on. The train should be here soon."

The whole train ride back downtown, Finn asked questions about Manhattan. Wonderment laced every syllable of his speech as he pointed out different things he saw on the train and in K-Mart when Rachel was helping him pick out clothes. Rachel couldn't help but find him adorable as he held up the Superman boxer-briefs Rachel had grabbed him.

"Do all undergarments have pictures on them? It seems kinda silly if no one will see them," he commented.

"I don't know. I think it's mostly just about the wearer knowing what they have on. Like I always feel more confident when I wear my gold star boy shorts as opposed to my plain white briefs," she said absent-mindedly forgetting she was talking about her underwear with the man she nearly had sex with. Why did he always mess with her head?

"I wouldn't mind seeing those someday," he replied in a cheeky manner.

"Well you're not going to. We still need to find you some jeans. Come on." She dragged him over to menswear and was instantly confused by the sizes. She didn't know how big Finn's waist was! Why couldn't they be in simple small numbers the way women's jeans were? She guessed as best she could but the first pair had been much too small and the next pair had been way too big. After two more attempts they found the right fit and Rachel had to remind herself not to drool at how nicely he filled out a pair of jeans. His butt looked fantastic in the dark wash pair she had picked out for him.

Once they had settled on some plain white t-shirts and some plaid shirts to go over them, Rachel bought his clothes then told him to change in the bathroom before they left. When he came out later he looked just like any other guy on the street.

"Good. Now let's go. I've had a very long day and I need to get some rest."

"I really like these plaid shirts. They're very comfortable. I bet Kurt would hate them though. He always puts out these really fancy clothes for me to wear but I usually just end up in an undershirt and plain pants. I like to be comfortable when I don't need to leave the castle."

For some reason this surprised Rachel. "You live in a castle? Of course you live in a castle, you're a king. Why would that surprise me?"

"Where do you live?" Finn asked as they began down the street.

"Definitely not a castle," she replied a little sullenly. "You'll see it when we get there."

They arrived at Rachel's building in Soho around 9:30 and Finn began questioning her about the place.

"Is this entire place yours?" he asked as they climbed the stairs.

Rachel shook her head. "No only this one." They stopped in front of a door labeled 2E and Rachel dug her key out.

"Oh hello Rachel," a nasally voice Rachel never enjoyed hearing called out from her left. She turned to find her gross neighbor Jacob standing in his doorway. "I thought I heard the sound of your dainty footsteps and sweet voice."

"Were you listening for me?" she asked really weirded out. She had a feeling he often did.

"Of course not," he replied with false coolness. "That would be creepy." Then he noticed Finn standing next to Rachel. "Who's he?"

Rachel could tell Jacob did not care for Finn already.

"This is my friend Finn." She finally got her door unlocked and began trying to usher Finn into the apartment.

"Is he your boyfriend?" Jacob pressed.

"It's not really any of your business Jacob but no he isn't. Finn is just a friend who needs a place to stay tonight before he goes home tomorrow so if you'll excuse me Jacob I have a guest to entertain." She pushed Finn into the room, followed after him quickly then slammed the door shut behind her.

Finn turned to face her. "I think that man likes you."

"I know. That's the problem."

"I can understand why though. You're beautiful," he admitted shyly. Rachel looked at the floor as she wrung her hands.

"Thank you," she mumbled back. "Well, this is it, chez Berry."

Finn noticed his surroundings for the first time. He was in a small room with a shabby looking bed/sofa combo, a single dresser with a black box on it, a small white box next to a sink and another smaller white box with black circles on the top and a single door opposite that.

"Where's the rest of it?" Finn asked not understanding.

"This is it," Rachel replied.

"But this building is huge. You can't have only one room in it?"

"Well I do. I know it's not up to the standards of your castle but it's home and you'll just have to deal with it until I can get you back to McKinley. She walked over to her couch and pulled a pillow and blanket out from next to it. "You'll have to sleep on the floor because I am not letting you share my bed."

"You want me to sleep on the floor?" He looked appalled at such a notion. "I don't sleep on floors."

"Then sleep standing because I'm not letting you in my bed. Remember we're not in your world. We're in mine and what I say goes. Now if you will excuse me I'm going to use the bathroom for a moment then go to bed."

With that Rachel walked through the door across from the sink and large boxes and slammed it behind her.

How did she end up here? The object of her desire was in her shitty little studio after he came through the door to find her. But that didn't matter. He still lied and he was still a king and she was a nobody and they weren't even from the same world. Nothing could happen this night. She was going to sleep on her bed and he was going to sleep on the floor. That was how it was going to be. Then in the morning she'd send him home and they'd both forget about each other.

She threw on her bunny clad tank top and shorts pajama set, washed her face then threw her hair up into a messy bun. She stared at herself in the mirror momentarily before undoing her hair and slapping on some light make-up. Just because nothing could happen between them didn't mean she had to look like a truck hit her. Once satisfied that she looked nice but not overly so, Rachel exited the bathroom to find Finn in only his Superman underwear exploring her single room. Why was he always shirtless whenever she walked into rooms with him in them?

Rachel gulped and blinked several times at Finn's nearly naked form before remembering what she had told herself. Nothing could happen…even though she really wanted something to happen. Finn had the best backside she'd ever seen on a man and when he turned around his bulge was rather prominent as well.

"What...what are you, um, doing?" Rachel asked nervously, chewing on her lip as she walked over to her bed.

"This box is cold without any ice. That's amazing! The kitchens could really use one of those." Finn looked really impressed by Rachel's refrigerator.

"You don't have refrigerators in McKinley?"

Finn shook his head. "Not that I've ever seen. Does it work on electricity? That's what it's called right?" Rachel had explained on the train about how electricity worked and it fascinated Finn.

Rachel chuckled a little. "Yes, electricity. It's what all of New York runs on...and coffee."

"This place is so strange. Everything is so much faster and louder and brighter here." Finn looked at Rachel as she crawled into her bed.

"That's New York. There're only two speeds here, fast and faster. Sometimes I miss the slower pace of Lima and small town living but New York is where everything is that I want out of life. I don't know if I'll be able to stay here forever though. The point was to come for school then Broadway. School is over and I tried to get to Broadway for a year but nothing happened." Rachel looked sadly at her lamp. She really wanted to sleep suddenly. "If you don't mind I'd really like to turn off the light and go to bed now."

Finn nodded. "Yeah, sure. I guess I'll just...get comfortable on the floor," he said a little bitterly. Here he was, a king, being forced to sleep on a floor. Oh well, if it made Rachel happy he would gladly sleep in the dirt. He sprawled out on the floor and fluffed his pillow under his head as Rachel turned out the light.

It was silent for a few minutes until thoughts that had been weighing on Finn's mind escaped his mouth.

"Hey Rachel," he said quietly, hoping she was still awake.

She grunted a little before responding. "What?"

"I just wanted to apologize for lying to you. I never wanted to hurt you or anything. Everything I told you about the king, about me, it was all true and I only pretended not to be myself because I thought if you knew I was the king you'd react just like everyone else. That you wouldn't want to know me, you'd want to know the king. It was just nice talking to someone without the king thing in the way."

Rachel silently thought about Finn's apology. He seemed sincere and very remorseful and she was just about to accept until she remembered Quinn. "What about Quinn?"

"What about her? She's a girl in my kingdom and that's it. I'm not marrying her and I told her, her mother and my mother that. I don't want her. I want…" He was afraid to say outright that he wanted Rachel even though he really, really did. "I want someone…like you."

Rachel smiled a little in the darkness. Maybe he wasn't as a big of a jerk as she initially thought.

"I'm so sorry for everything Rachel. I just wish you would give me a chance to make it up to you. I'll let you go to sleep now. Goodnight Rachel." Finn didn't say anything more as he turned away from her and closed his eyes. He did smile though when he heard Rachel whisper goodnight back.

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><p>Just an fyi, I am working on the next chapter of <em>Dates<em> right now but I do have a five page book review due next week for my one class so it may not be up for a while yet. I will try to get it out as quickly as possible though. :)


	5. Rainy Rachel

A little update for y'all. :)

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><p>Rachel woke up with her alarm the next day and groaned at remembering she had a Bat Mitzvah party to work that afternoon. It was carnival themed which meant she'd have to be Rainy Rachel and that really stuck in her craw. Her clown make-up took forever to put on and take off and the costume puffed out making her look huge and she'd have to juggle and make balloon animals all day. Lucky for Rocco she learned how to tie balloon animals back in high school from her theatre teacher.<p>

She rolled out of bed in the direction of the bathroom to get ready and instead of stepping onto her hardwood floor she stood on something warm and squishy. The squishy thing let out a loud groan and Rachel suddenly remembered that Finn had spent the night on her floor. She stepped off him on his other side and began apologizing profusely.

"I'm so sorry Finn. I forgot you were on the floor. I never have house guests so it slipped my mind. Sorry," she explained with a sympathetic expression.

He sat up and rubbed his stomach and arm where Rachel had stepped then looked up at her through half closed eyes. "S'okay. At least you missed my groin." That would have really sucked if she'd stepped right on his family jewels. He needed those to produce children.

Rachel went into the bathroom then a minute later popped back out with her hair done up in a tight ponytail.

"What are you doing up now? It's so early," Finn asked with a yawn. He never woke up before time was in the double digits.

"I need to get ready to go in to work. Rocco and I have a Bat Mitzvah party today at one," she said matter-of-factly as she walked over to her cupboard and pulled out some oatmeal and a water bottle from the fridge. "I'd offer you some breakfast but I don't know if you like vegan fair."

"Wait, slow down. You got up at eight to get to work at one? And what the heck is vegan?" Finn got up and walked toward her rubbing his tired eyes.

"I like to do yoga in the morning, eat breakfast then shower. Then I go to Rocco's to get into my costume and today's costume is particularly horrid. I need all the prep time I can get. Also, a vegan is someone who doesn't consume meat or any other animal byproducts."

"What's left to eat then?" he asked looking at her like she was crazy. Finn ate meat at every meal. He couldn't imagine never eating it ever.

"There's plenty left to eat. Look, I don't have time to explain all my dietary habits to you right now. Would you like some oatmeal at least?" she said rather exasperatedly.

"Sure, I like oatmeal." Finn paused and turned to look in the direction of Rachel's tiny bathroom as she set about making oatmeal. "Would I be able to use your bathroom?"

"Of course. Please remember to put the seat down though and wash your hands!" she called after him.

He shut the door and relieved himself then explored the contents of her bathroom after washing his hands. She had make-up all over the shelf over the toilet and spray bottles of this and that on the sink. In the tub there were more bottles of fruity smelling soap. He really wanted to take a bath, he was trying to impress Rachel and needed to be clean for it, but the tub was much too small for him to fit inside.

"Hey Rachel," he called out as he walked back into the main room. He stopped short however when he saw Rachel's perfect behind sticking up in the air and her head down at her ankles. She looked up at him through her legs. Her face was a deep red but Finn couldn't tell if it was embarrassment at being caught with her head between or legs or just from being upside down.

"Yes?" She stood back up straight and looked at Finn expectantly.

"Um, is there a bigger bathtub?" he asked jabbing his thumb over his shoulder toward the bathroom.

"No that's it. It should be plenty big enough for a shower though." Rachel was confused.

"How am I supposed to fit in there?"

"Have you never taken a shower? How do you bathe at home?"

"I have a huge bathtub at home where I take baths. How do you bathe?" Finn really wouldn't mind seeing a tutorial as to how Rachel bathed.

"Come with me." Rachel walked into the bathroom and threw back the curtain. "Okay, this is what you do. You turn on the hot and cold water until it gets to the temperature you like then you pull up this little handle and," water started flowing from the shower head and Finn looked impressed, "Voila! Shower time!" Rachel finished. Finn wondered why they didn't they have these things in McKinley. It would make life so much easier. "I'll leave you to it then. I only have Herbal Essences and coconut body wash so you'll have to use that but, have at. Try not to use all the hot water on me."

Rachel walked out of the bathroom and closed the door behind her. She took a deep breath as she tried not to imagine a naked Finn behind the thin bathroom door and tried not think about how badly she wanted to charge in there, kiss him senseless then let him take her against the shower wall. She shook her head and rubbed her hands over her face.

"Snap out of it Rachel. _Nothing_ can happen. Even if he is sorry and isn't going to marry Quinn that doesn't mean you can be together. You're from two different worlds! He didn't even know what electricity was until yesterday! And there's no way I could survive without it. There are just certain things that I need and that is one of them," Rachel berated herself aloud as she wandered around picking things up and put her bed away. "Besides he's a _king_ and you're a loser who lives in a single room working as a clown/magician's assistant because you couldn't make it on Broadway. It could never work."

For the next several minutes Rachel's mind went back and forth between fantasies of her and Finn together and chastising herself for thinking such things. Finally the bathroom door opened and Finn stood in the doorway of the steaming room dripping wet holding one of Rachel's small towels in front of his body.

"Um, Rachel, would you mind grabbing my clothes? I kind of forgot them and this towel doesn't cover everything," Finn said sheepishly. All she could do was gape at the sight of His Majesty standing there all drippy and hot and holding up a pink towel that barely covered his, what Rachel assumed to be, impressive package. "Rachel?"

She blinked a few times then finally snapped out of it. "Yeah, yeah, um, give me two seconds." Rachel picked up Finn's clothes that she had found draped on her dresser and walked back over to the bathroom to hand them to him. She stared at his chest and licked her lips as a drop of water ran down his abdomen and below the towel. Oh how she wanted to lick every drop off him.

Forgetting he needed both hands to hold the towel up, Finn reached out with his right hand to grab the clothes and the towel fell away from his body. Rachel's eyes bugged as they instantly zoomed in on what she had assumed correctly. Finn was _very_ well endowed and now Rachel was having an even harder time keeping herself on the opposite side of the bathroom door.

When Finn noticed Rachel's reaction a few seconds later he realized that he was quite nude in front of her. He threw his clothes over his shoulder and picked the towel up once more blushing scarlet, he laughed nervously, apologized then closed the door again.

It was going to be harder than Rachel thought to send Finn home.

A semi-awkward hour and a half later Finn and Rachel were leaving her apartment when they ran into Jacob at the mailboxes.

"Good morning my sweet, _gigantor_," he greeted them when they walked up, narrowing his eyes at Finn.

"Jacob, I've told you dozens of times to stop calling me that. I am not 'your sweet' and I never will be. I'm not interested, I'm sorry. Now I need to go before I'm late for work. Have a nice day Jacob." Rachel tried pushing past him but he stood in her way.

"Is it because of him?" Jacob nodded at Finn whose eyebrows scrunched together.

Rachel looked up at Finn then back at Jacob. "No Jacob it's not. It's because I'm not attracted to you. To be completely honest I find your stalkerish obsession with me to be very creepy and I wish you would get it through your Jewfro that you and I will never happen. I'm sure there is a girl out there who will happily run her fingers through your poofy mane and adore your thick glasses and want to watch _Battlestar Galactica_ with you but that girl is not me. Now please move out of my way."

Jacob stood his ground however. "But we could be so good together Rachel and if he's not your boyfriend what other prospects do you have?"

Just as Rachel was about to say she'd rather jump into the Hudson than date him, Finn stepped forward moving Rachel protectively behind him.

"Listen, Jacob. Rachel isn't interested so you need to back off or I will make you back off. Got it?" Finn threatened menacingly. Jacob gulped as Finn stared him down. He shook his head, hair bouncing everywhere and stepped to the side allowing the hulking man and Rachel to pass out of the building.

As they walked down the street Rachel commented on the situation. "You didn't need to do that. I could have handled him."

"I know you could have, but I wanted to. That guy seems like he's a little crazy and you shouldn't have to deal with that."

"He is. Sometimes I swear I can hear him breathing through the walls listening to what I'm doing. Very creepy."

The pair made their way on the subway up to Rocco's but as they approached the building Finn began to throw a little bit of a fit.

"Rachel I don't want to go back. Not without you. Come with me, please?"

She shook her head no at him. "Finn, you don't belong here and I don't belong there. This could never work. Besides I'm a 'commoner'. Isn't there a rule or something that says you have to be with a princess?"

"No. I can be with whoever I want."

Rachel looked a little surprised. "Oh, well, even so…I'm no one special. You deserve to be with someone who is your equal and that is not me."

Finn grabbed Rachel's wrist and spun her around stopping in the middle of the sidewalk. "Is that what you think?" He couldn't believe Rachel didn't think she was special. "Rachel, you are special. You're kind and smart and beautiful," Rachel blushed and looked down as he praised her looks, "and you believed in me before you even knew me. You're the most special person I know."

She glanced back up at Finn who was looking at her intently. "We should get you home. Your kingdom needs its king." Rachel smiled weakly at him then pulled her wrist from his grip and continued walking forward. Finn followed behind wearing sadness. What did he have to do to get Rachel to stay with him?

When they got to Rocco's he answered the door immediately with a big happy grin on his face. "Good morning you two! How was your night? Mine was fantastic!" He literally waltzed back down the hall with an invisible partner humming a nameless tune as he went.

"Well someone is in a good mood," Rachel mumbled as she shut the door behind Finn. "Okay, come on Finn. You need to get back."

Finn planted himself firmly at the door. "I'm not going back. Not unless you come with me."

"Finn I told you we don't-"

"Belong in each other's worlds. Yeah, I heard you but what if you're wrong? What if it wasn't an accident that you found the door? Maybe you were supposed to." Finn ducked down to look Rachel in the eye. "Did you ever think about that?"

"Why do you have to make this so difficult Finn? It's hard enough as it is." Her brow furrowed and she bit her lip.

"You want to come with me. I know you do. Why are you fighting so hard against this?" He knew she wanted to be with him so why was she being so reserved about it?

"I hardly know you Finn. I can't just go gallivanting off to some kingdom with a man I don't know. I have responsibilities here and my dads… I can't just leave them all behind."

"Then I'll stay here with you."

"No," Rachel stated rigidly. "You have much bigger responsibilities in McKinley. You can't leave them for me. I won't let you. I don't care if I have to hire big burly men to put you in that cabinet I will not let you stay here because of me."

"Well, I'm not going back until you come with me." He crossed his arms over his chest and stood his ground.

"You're being ridiculous."

"I don't care. I don't want to lose you."

"You don't even know me."

"So maybe I don't know every detail about your life but I know that you're a good person and that you aren't happy and I want to make you happy."

Rocco reappeared in the hallway then. "Rachel, you should start getting ready. I know how long it takes you to do your make-up."

"Yeah, Rocco, I will." She smiled at her boss then turned back to Finn. Maybe it wouldn't kill her to spend one day in McKinley with him, just to look around. After all, he had spent a day in New York. "If I come with you, you'll go back?"

Finn twitched his mouth. "Yes."

Rachel looked down the hall. "I have to go to this party today but maybe tomorrow, I guess I could spend the day with you there since I'm off. But only a day! I can't stay there forever."

His face lit up and he pulled Rachel in for a big hug. He brushed his fingers over her hair and she discreetly sniffed his chest. The embrace lasted a little longer than a friendly one should until Rachel noticed and pulled away.

"Only a day." She stuck her finger out and stared him down.

Finn put his hands up. "I got it. Only a day." He only had a day to try to change her mind but that was more than enough.

"I have to get ready now. You can go sit in the living room and watch TV."

"What's TV?" He raised his eyebrow at her.

Rachel put her hand to her forehead. "Sorry, I forgot. Here, I'll show you." She led Finn to the living room and sat him down on the couch. She flicked the TV on and handed Finn the remote to show him how to use it. Once he got the gist she left him alone to peruse the channels and went into her dressing room to become Rainy Rachel.

It took her nearly an hour to get her make-up on. The white face paint was the easy part; it was the minute details that always gave her trouble. She had to have her eyes done up to look like storm clouds and raindrops dripping down her cheek. On her other cheek was a red umbrella blowing away in the wind.

She dug her multi-blue colored polka-dot tea-length clown dress out of the closet and stared at the wretched thing. She had nightmares about this dress. It itched like nothing else and the bottom was always knocking things over due to the puffy navy blue tulle. Plus the zipper often stuck and once it took a team of two men to get her out of it. This was by far the worst thing Rocco made her wear, even worse than the awful princess dress.

Rachel pulled the monstrosity on and began zipping it up until it wouldn't move anymore. She tugged on it a few more times, growing more frustrated with each failure. Rachel looked in the mirror and saw that a bit of the fabric had gotten caught about halfway up. She tried to wiggle out of the dress but it was already too far on her body. The only way she was getting out was with assistance.

Rachel sighed and looked at the ceiling using some rather un-Rachel like language in her head. Frustrated, Rachel ripped the door open and moved down the hallway. As she got closer to the living room she could hear yells coming from Finn and Rocco.

"Foul? How was that a foul? It was totally in the line!" Finn screamed at the TV. "The ump has no idea what he's talking about." He shook his head disapprovingly before noticing Rachel standing in the doorway with an amused expression.

Finn stood up. "Rachel, you look, um, pretty?" he said as if unsure what response to give when his eyes scanned her appearance.

"You don't need to lie. I look ridiculous, but I am a clown so... Anyway, could one of you help me? My zipper is stuck again." She turned around to reveal the stuck zipper and more importantly the smooth creamy skin of her upper back.

A vision of pulling that zipper down and seeing all of what was underneath it filtered through Finn's brain and it was taking so much effort not to act on the thought.

"Yeah, I can...I can help with that." Finn moved forward as Rachel pulled her hair around to expose her back fully. He took the zipper between his fingers and worked the stuck bit of fabric out of it. He slowly pulled it back down a little to make sure it was clear then began to pull it back up smoothly until it was fully closed. His fingers lingered at Rachel's exposed neck lightly brushing over her skin.

She looked back over her shoulder at him, thinking that moment could be something so much more before remembering where she was and how she was dressed. Sad clowns were definitely not sexy nor were intimate relations in your boss's house.

She turned back around smiling awkwardly at Finn. She tried to make it less awkward by attempting to have a conversation about the Mets game Rocco had recorded from the day prior on TV.

"I didn't know you were a baseball fan." She gestured to the screen.

Finn looked back at it. "Oh, I'm not, I mean, I've never seen it before. It seems like fun though. Rocco explained it to me and said the Mets were the team to root for."

"Well Rocco is wrong. The Yankees are the team to root for. Rocco is just a delusional Mets fan who thinks they actually have a chance at winning every year." She looked accusingly at her boss.

"Just you wait Rachel! The Mets are gonna do it and when they do, I'm gonna dance all the way to your apartment and rub it in your Yankee lovin' face!" He pointed a gloved finger in her direction. He was completely dressed in his clown garb minus the red nose.

"So I should root for the Yankees then? Where are they from?"

"They're the other, better, New York team. I don't follow the sport too much but my dad has always been a huge Yankees fan so I mostly just support them because of him," Rachel lowered her voice, "Plus it annoys Rocco to no end and it's pretty funny to watch him get so flustered over it. He doesn't have many friends to talk baseball with so I watch games with him sometimes."

"Finn, don't let those legs and that smile talk you into rooting for the damn Yankees. The Mets are the real New York team."

Finn looked back and forth between Rocco and Rachel. It didn't really matter which team he chose as he'd probably never watch baseball again but he felt as if he should pick one.

"Is there a third option?" he asked trying to diffuse the argument.

Rocco scoffed. "Not in New York, son. It's the Yankees or Mets and no matter which team you root for everyone hates Boston."

"Finn, you can root for whomever you want. Don't let the old man scare you into rooting for the inferior team," Rachel said with a smile.

"Inferior team? Why you...! Rachel, you're damn lucky you're so good at tying balloon animals and juggling otherwise I'd be out looking for a Mets fan to replace you!" he yelled out angrily shaking his fist at her, his wig hair bouncing on his head just as angrily.

Rachel only chuckled. "I'll let you two get back to your game. I need to put my wig on." Rachel turned to go back down the hall and Finn sat back down.

"That woman, I tell ya. Horrible taste in sports teams but man, she's great. I'm so glad I hired her. She's a real doll and she doesn't even realize it. Not too many other gals her age would spend afternoons off watching baseball with their aging boss," Rocco said after Rachel had disappeared. Finn shook his head in agreement.

"Finn, can I ask ya a question?"

"Sure."

"Do you got a thing for her? For Rachel?" Rocco leaned forward waiting for Finn's answer.

He swallowed and lightly shook his head. "I've liked her since I first saw her and I think she likes me too but she keeps fighting against it."

Rocco shook his head in understanding. "Well son, don't give up on her. You seem like a nice kid, even though you did break into my house," he narrowed his eyes at Finn, "but that's what Rachel needs. I don't think she's ever had a boyfriend and that may be why she's so scared. If you really want her and think she wants you too don't give up. She's too good a girl to be alone forever. Rachel deserves all the happiness in the world."

"Believe me sir, I won't. Rachel's the best woman I've ever met and I don't plan on ever giving up on her."

Rocco shook his head. "Good to hear."

The men could hear Rachel padding down the hallway again and ended their conversation. She came into the doorway wearing a bobbed light blue wig with a tiny navy blue top hat with a wilting flower on top. She looked so sad even with the smile on her face it was almost heartbreaking.

"Rocco, would you mind terribly if Finn stayed here?"

"What? No, Rach, I wanna go with and see you work." Finn said standing up.

"Finn, you don't need to-"

"Ah, Rachel, it's fine if he wants to come. He can carry all the heavy stuff." Rocco stood up and slapped Finn on the back as he winked at him. "Alright, let's head out!"

Before Rachel could even begin to try to change Rocco and Finn's minds, Rocco shoved a box of supplies into Finn's arms and ushered him toward the door. All Rachel could do was follow behind.

Well this would be interesting.


	6. Tension

Omg it feels like years since I've updated but finally, a new-long!-chapter. Hope this makes up for the wait. School is kicking my butt this semester (when I'm not on Tumblr).

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><p>The carnival bat mitzvah party was in full swing and Rachel had just finished making a balloon poodle for a little girl when she looked up to find Finn surrounded by a gaggle of pre-pubescent girls. He looked really uncomfortable being gazed at like a tender piece of meat by the children but Rachel couldn't help but find him hopelessly adorable. She walked over to the group to try to save him.<p>

Finn didn't know how this happened. He had been sitting along the wall minding his own business simply watching Rachel wander around juggling and making balloon animals for children when a young girl walked up to him and began talking to him.

"Who are you?" she asked with a slight blush.

"Um, I'm Finn."

"That's a nice name. Why are you sitting by yourself Finn?" She twirled her hair around her finger and stared at the floor as she spoke.

"I came with my friend but she's working so I can't really stay with her."

"Lindsay, what are you do-whoa! Who are you?" another girl said as she walked in Finn's direction.

Lindsay answered. "This is Finn."

"Hi Finn! I'm Paige!"

"And I'm Lindsay! I forgot to mention that."

"Nice to meet you both," Finn said with a tight smile. The girls giggled and yet another girl came over to them.

A few minutes later Finn was stuck. Seven girls had come over to him giggling and asking questions about who he was and normally this wouldn't be a problem because as the king he dealt with things of this nature frequently but today it _was_ a problem because Rachel had told him not to draw attention to himself. Having multiple young ladies around him was not making that easy. It was also hard to give answers that didn't reference McKinley.

"How old are you Finn?" one of the girls asked.

"Twenty-three," he answered uncertainly. He was trying to think of a way out that didn't involve mowing the girls down in an attempt to bolt for the exit.

"That's only 10 years older than me! Ten years isn't a lot," she replied suggestively.

"Um..." Finn wasn't sure how to respond. He definitely did not want teenage girls chasing after him.

"Do you have a girlfriend?" Lindsay asked. All the girls held their breaths as they waited for Finn's answer.

"Um," just as Finn was about to say no he spotted Rachel walking his way and made an impulsive decision. "Yes, I do. She's right there."

The seven girls' heads swiveled around and landed on the sad clown who had been making balloon animals.

"That girl?" Paige screeched, appalled. "She's a clown!"

"Hey girls! Does anyone want a balloon animal?" Rachel said with enthusiasm as she made it to the group. For reasons unknown to her all the girls were glaring at Rachel with hatred in their eyes.

"Hey Rach, I'll take a balloon animal." Finn stood up and towered over the girls. They looked up at him with awe on their faces and he could swear he heard one girl whisper about how beautiful he was.

"She doesn't seem like your girlfriend," one girl said with attitude as she crossed her arms over her chest and stared between Finn and Rachel.

Rachel looked confused. "I'm-"

"The best girlfriend ever!" Finn insinuated wildly, cutting Rachel's sentence off before she could even start it. He pleadingly stared at her. Finn needed to get the girls to leave him alone.

Catching on, Rachel played along. "Right! That's me! Best girlfriend ever!"

The girl still didn't seem convinced. "If she's your girlfriend then kiss her!" the girl with the attitude challenged.

What was happening? Why was a 13 year old so adamant about whether or not Rachel was Finn's girlfriend? Or better question, why was Finn letting the 13 year old force him into this situation?

"Why do you care so much?" he asked the girl back in a sassy manner.

"Because I do! This is my bat mitzvah party so you have to do as I say otherwise I'll have my daddy kick you and the sad clown out!"

Rachel looked panicked now. She couldn't get kicked out of the party she was working! She wouldn't get paid then and it would look bad on her. Without even thinking about the potential consequences, Rachel pulled Finn's head down and kissed him full on the mouth with total abandon.

She had only meant it to be a quick kiss to get this girl to leave Finn alone and keep her job but of course the crazy hormones that lusted after him kicked in and had other plans. Finn had been caught off guard by the sudden contact but once he realized Rachel was kissing him he hastily reciprocated taking her into his arms and turning it into a full on make-out session.

The group of girls dissipated disappointedly as it had become pretty obvious Finn and Rachel weren't planning on stopping. Unfortunately for the enraptured couple, Rocco was planning on stopping them.

"Rachel!" he yelled at her. The sudden call of her name snapped Rachel out of her libidinous stupor and she ripped herself from Finn's mouth and twirled around to find Rocco steaming at her. "What the hell? We are at a child's bat mitzvah party! Not a sex club! Please refrain from sucking his face until you are in the privacy of your own home! We are professionals Rachel and we will conduct ourselves as such!"

Rachel gulped and ashamedly dropped her head and stalked off in the direction of the bathroom. Rocco stared at Finn through squinted eyes. "I don't approve of the place but nice work." He gave Finn a thumbs up then started to walk away before backtracking a little. "By the way, you've got make-up all over your face. Might wanna go clean it off."

Finn furiously began wiping at his mouth.

Rachel had avoided Finn for the remainder of the party and none of the girls had bothered him again. He replayed their kiss over and over in his mind, wondering what it would be like to take things even further in a more private place, like his bedroom.

Finn wasn't promiscuous but he wasn't a virgin either. He had sex every so often, generally with his oldest female friend Brittany but that was just to get off. It wasn't emotional, it didn't mean anything; it was purely for the feeling. He never had a very deep emotional connection to any sexual partner before but he had a strong feeling that sex with Rachel would be much more than just physical. After only knowing her for a day he already felt a very deep connection to her, as if he were tethered in a way, and he thought there was no way it wouldn't spill over into a fantastic romp in his sheets.

As he watched Rachel wander around, catching her glimpsing back at him every so often, he couldn't help but think that sex with her wouldn't just be emotionally great but physically as well. She had an amazing body and her butt was something else entirely. He thought back to that morning when he caught her with her head at her ankles.

"Hey Prince Goofy, want some cake?" Rocco asked coming over with two plates of marble cake.

"Sure...and I'm a king." Finn took a plate from Rocco and shoved a forkful into his mouth.

"Who are you exactly? You keep saying you're a king, you know squat about baseball, you mysteriously appeared in my house dressed like a Disney character..."

"You probably won't believe me."

"Try me," Rocco pressed.

Finn sighed. Rachel had told him not to talk about McKinley and being a king but this was Rocco. He was Rachel's friend...sorta. And it was his cabinet he'd come through.

"I'm not from here. Not just New York but this...world. I'm from a place called McKinley and I'm the king of it. Rachel found a doorway into my room through that cabinet in your spare room and that's how we met. We started talking and we really connected but things got complicated so Rachel left and I followed her. That's how I got into your house."

Rocco looked skeptical. "You sure you ain't crazy? 'Cause that sounds kinda crazy."

"Pretty sure I'm not." Finn took another bite of cake.

"How did things get complicated exactly?" Rocco was very interested in Rachel and Finn's relationship. It was rather soap operatic and Rocco really did care about Rachel's happiness. She was kind of like the daughter he never had.

"I kinda didn't tell Rachel the truth about who I was and I didn't mention that my mother was trying to force me to get married."

Rocco started laughing. "That's always a good way to get into a woman's pants. Lie to her. You came clean though right?"

Finn shook his head. "Yeah. I never wanted to lie to her. It was just nice to talk to someone who didn't know me at all. Everyone in my kingdom knows me or thinks they know me and they never want to talk to me because they think I'm interesting or like what I have to say. Rachel wasn't like that. She was easy to talk to and she was actually interested in who I was."

"She's like that...when she's not talking about herself anyway. The girl almost never shuts up." Rocco took a forkful of cake. "I tell ya though, I could listen to her sing all day. She's got a voice like an angel. Still can't believe she didn't make it to Broadway, or Off-Broadway, or even Off-Off-Broadway."

This caught Finn's attention. Rachel had mentioned Broadway nearly every time they spoke yet never said exactly what it was. "Hey Rocco, what exactly is Broadway? Rachel's never explained it before."

Rocco raised an eyebrow. "You must really not be from around here. Well, see, it's this street here in Manhattan where all the big musicals are located. It's been Rachel's dream since conception to play a leading lady in one of the Broadway musicals here but it hasn't happened yet. She went to school for it and spent over a year auditioning for everything but for some reason no one wanted her. She gave up after a while because she stopped believing in herself. I kept trying to get her to jump back in and told her that I wouldn't have a problem searching for a new assistant if she had to leave 'cause she got a part, but she wouldn't."

"That's horrible! I'm sure Rachel would blow everyone away if given the chance." Finn couldn't believe Rachel had been turned down for over a year. Yeah, maybe he hadn't heard her sing before but Rocco said she was 'like an angel'. That had to mean she had a magnificent voice.

And no wonder Rachel thought she wasn't special. She had been rejected over and over reinforcing the idea that she wasn't. If Finn had anything to say about it, and he had a lot to say, he would make sure Rachel never felt that way again. He was going to do everything in his power to make her feel wanted and appreciated and truly special.

"Well, cake break is over. I need to go start packing up. This party's almost over."

Rocco left Finn to his thoughts about Rachel and walked over to the table where he had been painting kids' faces. Rachel was already cleaning up when he got there. Suddenly he got an idea.

"Hey Rachel, when was the last time you saw a show?" he asked trying to perk her interest.

"A while. I haven't had much spare cash. Why?" She stopped packing up the paint and watched Rocco dig around in his fanny pack.

"Why don't ya take His Majesty out to one tonight? He's never been. My treat," he said as he shoved two hundred dollars in her hand. "It ain't gonna get too gooda seats but there are always cheap seats left and they're better than no seats."

Rachel's mouth fell open. "Rocco, I can't accept this!"

"Take it. You need to have some fun and you should show Finn your favorite part of New York before he goes home."

"Are you sure? You really do not need to do this." She felt it was too much and so undeserved.

"You're fired if you don't take it. How 'bout that?"

Rachel smiled widely and hugged her boss tightly. "Thank you Rocco. This really is too much though."

Rocco pulled out of the embrace and looked at Rachel. "You need a night out. Why don't you go collect your prince and head out to the van? You got a date to get ready for." He waggled his eyebrows at her.

Rachel huffed indignantly. "Finn is not 'my prince' and this isn't a date. He's just a friend!" she asserted.

Rocco gave her a 'yeah right' stare. "Did the meaning of friend change? I've certainly never kissed my friends the way you kissed Finn. That was definitely more than a friend kiss." He made a smoochy face at Rachel as she went red in embarrassment.

"We are professionals and we will conduct ourselves as such!" Rachel said, throwing Rocco's words from earlier back at him.

"Just go get Finn." He waved her away and went back to cleaning up his stuff.

Rachel walked over to Finn who stood up when she got close.

"Hi," Finn said quietly, rubbing the back of his neck.

Rachel nervously glanced between Finn's face and the floor. "Hi. So, um, we're getting ready to leave but, uh, Rocco, he suggested that I take you to a show tonight before you go home. Would that be something you would be interested in?" She looked up at Finn with a sparkle in her eye he had never seen before.

"Yeah, that would be fun. What show?"

"I don't know. I guess it would depend on what tickets are available since it's such short notice. We can look for some when we get back to Manhattan. We should, um, go out to the van to wait for Rocco."

"Yeah, yeah." The pair started walking toward the exit when Finn decided to ask Rachel about her singing. "So Rocco said that you're a great singer. I'd love to hear you sometime."

Rachel smiled at the floor. "I'm pretty good. I don't sing much these days though; usually only karaoke in my apartment and the shower."

"What's karaoke?"

"It's just when you sing along to a song."

"Maybe you could sing karaoke when we get back to your place," Finn suggested. He really did want to hear Rachel sing. Most people didn't know it about him but he loved music. Finn liked to sing in the tub and play the drums. It was a big hobby of his but he didn't get to partake in it often.

"Maybe..." Rachel smiled up at him and they walked out to the parking lot.

A few hours later Rachel was fussing over what to wear to the theatre that night. She wanted to dress up a little since she still considered going to a show a big deal and though she wouldn't admit it to Rocco, she wanted to impress Finn. She had convinced Rocco to keep Finn at his place while she went home to get ready and even though they had only been apart for about an hour now she already missed his presence. Was it normal to miss someone you barely knew after only an hour?

Rachel held up multiple dresses to herself trying to decide but they all made her look too childish. She didn't want to look childish; she wanted to look like a grown woman, a sexy grown woman. Perhaps it was time to update her wardrobe. That new thought wasn't going to help her right now though. Though she did have one dress that she never thought she'd get to wear.

Once upon a time Rachel almost had a date. He was cute as a button, adorably sweet and had the sexiest Irish accent. Rory Flanagan had been the closest thing Rachel had ever had to a relationship. He had been spending a semester abroad in the music department at NYU and had been one of the very few people even willing to talk to Rachel past her first semester at school.

Rachel boldly decided to ask him on a date to which he accepted but two days before he had to cancel as he got a gig singing in some Irish quintet and had to leave immediately. She had played it off like it was no big deal but on the inside she died a little.

The night she was supposed to be out with Rory, Rachel spent annoying her roommate with her tears, the dress she bought specifically for the date hanging unworn in her closet. She had never really had another opportunity to wear it, until now. She walked over to her dresser and pulled the slinky black dress out. She shook it out, noticed it needed to be ironed and set about getting date worthy ready.

A little while later at Rocco's they were trying to find something more than jeans and a plaid shirt for Finn to wear out. Finn was quite a bit larger than Rocco so it was proving rather difficult but luckily Rocco was a collector of enough junk he was able to find something passable that belonged to his son. It was only a navy blue blazer and black dress pants over a plain white t-shirt but he looked pretty good. Rocco had a feeling Rachel wouldn't much care what Finn wore as she would probably find him studly in anything.

"So what's this _Chicago_ about?" Finn asked as he slid his shoes on. Though they weren't the same size, Rocco somehow had the same size feet as Finn and let him borrow some dress shoes.

"Some women murder some guys and sing about it. That's basically it," Rocco grumbled. _Chicago_ wasn't exactly his favorite musical. He personally was a fan of _The Producers_ and _South Pacific_.

"Sounds...interesting." Just then they could hear a knock on the door.

"That's probably Rachel. I'll get it." Rocco left Finn staring at his appearance in the mirror. He had to admit he looked pretty good in the clothes Rocco had helped him find and they were much more comfortable than anything Kurt ever dressed him in.

Finn exited the room and walked down the hall to meet Rachel at the door. As she came into his sight his breath hitched a little and his brain stopped working all together. She had on a form-fitting black dress with only one thick strap over her left shoulder and it hugged every curve on her body perfectly. Her hair fell over her exposed shoulder in soft curls and her eyes sparkled as she looked at the men in front of her. Even Rocco seemed a little stunned by how nicely Rachel cleaned up.

Finn cleared his throat to speak. "Wow, Rachel, you look...stunningly beautiful." Her cheeks turned pink at his words and she glanced at the floor.

"Thank you. You look very handsome yourself," she replied shyly. There was a thick silence that fell over them until Rachel remembered why she was dressed to the nines. "We should probably go. The show starts at seven."

Finn gulped and shook his head. "Yeah, let's go." He turned to Rocco and shook his hand. "Thank you for letting me borrow your clothes. I will return them tomorrow."

Rocco waved him off. "Keep 'em. I have no use for size giant. I just want my shoes back." He shoved Finn out into the hall with Rachel. "Have a good night you two! Remember to use protection!" He winked at an embarrassed Rachel.

"You are such a dirty old man," she hissed back at him after chuckling awkwardly.

"Yes, yes I am." He winked at her, waved goodbye then closed his door.

Ignoring Finn's amused expression, Rachel spoke. "So, I figured since I'm wearing this we could take a cab. I'd rather not ride the subway in heels." Rachel noticed Finn look down at her feet then back up her legs slowly. His cheeks pinked slightly.

He shook his head. "Sure, whatever you want."

After that they fell into a semi-awkward silence. It wasn't that neither had anything to say or they felt uncomfortable, it was just that Rachel was afraid if she even looked at Finn looking at her she'd lose her mind and throw herself at him right there in the cab. As for Finn, he was thinking about the time he almost killed the royal messenger by running him down with his horse to keep from erupting inside the pants he was borrowing. Rachel looked too beautiful to even handle in her black dress.

They really needed to get into a crowd.

When they finally arrived at the Ambassador Theatre the sexual tension eased slightly as there were now people around to distract Finn and Rachel from each other. They quickly made their way to their seats all the way in the back of the theatre.

"Have you seen this musical before?" Finn asked, looking forward. Even being in a crowd wasn't helping much with his problem below the waist every time he looked at Rachel's exposed legs.

"A long time ago. I haven't been to any shows in a while. Rocco pays me enough to make rent and buy food but it doesn't leave much extra. I think you'll like it though. It's got a lot of dancing in it and the songs are fantastic," Rachel praised. "This was actually one of the shows I auditioned for last year."

She was about to launch into her original plan of performing in _Evita_, _Oklahoma!_ and _Funny Girl_ and earning a Tony by 25 but the lights dimmed and the audience fell silent as the show began.

About two and a half hours later Finn and Rachel were exiting the theatre.

"That was awesome. Those women could really sing and the dancing and sets were great." Finn had thoroughly enjoyed himself. Sure they had plays and musicals in McKinley but nothing on that scale. This blew everything at home out of the water.

"Yeah, Roxie and Velma were alright. A little pitchy here and there…" Rachel remembered now the other reason she hadn't attended a show in a while, the pangs of rampant jealousy. It sucked watching other people live your dream. That fact aside the show, as always, had been pretty amazing. "So, New York really comes alive at night. Was there anything else you maybe wanted to do before going home?" Rachel inquired. She wasn't quite ready to go home yet.

"I thought you were going to sing karaoke for me?" Finn asked looking down at her as they started to walk in the direction of Times Square.

"You really want to hear me sing, huh?"

"Well only if you're good. If you sound like a dying cat like Lord Motta's daughter Sugar then I don't really want to," Finn joked. He wasn't joking about Sugar though. She truly was awful. Even the animals ran at the sound of her singing.

"Well, I don't really want to disturb my neighbors and I'm sure Jacob would probably try singing along through the walls if we go back to my place. I do know of a karaoke bar not too far from my apartment though," Rachel mused. She had never been to a karaoke bar before as that was the type of place one really needed friends to go with and enjoy but Finn wanted to hear her sing. She really hadn't performed outside the shower in a while and kind of missed the stage and Finn _was _a friend.

"Let's get a cab," Rachel announced with a smile and pulled Finn to the edge of the sidewalk.

About 20 minutes later Finn and Rachel were walking into a crowded karaoke bar in which a tone-deaf woman was singing Toxic by Britney Spears. She was God-awful but it appeared everyone in the place was too drunk to even care. They found a table toward the back of the room and Rachel perused the song catalogue. Of course it was all top 40 type songs, no one wanted to listen to Broadway classics while drunk at a bar.

"Do you want a drink?" Finn asked as Rachel was hemming and hawing about which 80's song to sing. Rachel looked up at Finn like a scared doe. She wouldn't mind a drink but she had a feeling if Finn got one in her, by the end of the night _he'd_ be in her.

A vision of Finn on top of her making her come undone flashed before her eyes. "Um, sure. I'll take a Cosmopolitan. Thank you."

"It's no problem," he replied with a smile. Finn stood up and began to walk toward the bar until he remembered a vital part of the equation. "Rachel, I actually don't have any money." He felt like a jackass having to ask Rachel for money when he was the one to offer to get her a drink. "I promise, I will you pay you back for everything when we get back to McKinley."

"Oh don't worry. It's on Rocco tonight anyway." She pulled out the little extra cash left over from buying their cheap seats for _Chicago_ and handed it to Finn. He smiled at Rachel then went to get their drinks.

While Finn was busy at the bar, Rachel finally picked her song and put her name down on the list. Based on who was currently singing it appeared that she would have to wait three more performances. She went back to the table to find Finn sitting there waiting for her. He smiled at her brightly.

"So when are you going to sing?" he asked taking a sip of the beer he had bought for himself.

"Three songs away. Normally my go to song would be Don't Rain On My Parade but it wasn't on the list. I think the song I chose is a good 80's classic though." Rachel sipped on her Cosmo and turned to look at the man singing Livin' On A Prayer.

"I have no idea what those are but I'm sure you'll do great." Finn gave her an awkward thumbs up before internally berating himself for being so absolutely lame.

Rachel smiled, appreciating the support. "So what are we going to do in McKinley tomorrow? I'm sure there aren't karaoke bars there."

Finn chuckled. "No, not really. There are bars but not as interesting as this," he commented looking at the guy singing and diving off the stage to land on a table. "Do you like horses?" He wasn't sure what brought it up but now it was out there.

Rachel's eyes widened at the question. "I do. I've never ridden one but they're very beautiful creatures."

"We'll have to fix that. I have a mare that I think you'd like."

"Of course you do because that's something a king would have along with his castle," Rachel replied in a sarcastic manner.

They chatted about Finn's stable and how he'd take her out riding tomorrow then maybe they could sneak out to town and wander around. He was excited to show Rachel his home and try to convince her not to leave. Though they had only known each other for a short period of time, Finn knew that Rachel was the woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. He just needed to show her that he was the one for her.

"Rachel Berry! Come on up!" the DJ running karaoke called out to the place. Rachel bit her lip and nervously smiled at Finn before getting up and walking toward the stage. It had been a long while since she had performed in front of an actual audience and even though she knew she would kill the song she was about to perform she was anxious. This wasn't just any old audience watching, it included Finn and she was singing a song whose chorus fairly accurately explained what he did to her.

Rachel took the microphone the DJ handed her as he introduced her and the song to the audience who clapped half heartedly. The synthesized beat started and Rachel stared out at the tables full of people. She took in a deep breath as she looked at Finn who smiled softly at her.

Rachel closed her eyes and let the music take over.

_Watching every motion in my foolish lover's game  
><em>_On this endless ocean finally lovers know no shame  
><em>_Turning and returning to some secret place inside  
><em>_Watching in slow motion as you turn around and say_

She opened her eyes and found Finn immediately. Despite all the people around them it was as if they were the only two in the room and she was singing just for him.

_Take my breath away  
><em>_Take my breath away_

_Watching, I keep waiting, still anticipating love  
><em>_Never hesitating to become the fated ones  
><em>_Turning and returning to some secret place to hide  
><em>_Watching in slow motion as you turn to me and say, my love_

_Take my breath away_

It was scary how right this song was. Rachel's voice and stage presence _was_ taking his breath away. He had never heard such a beautiful voice and that it came out of Rachel was even more amazing. She was already something else without it. He watched completely enraptured of her never taking his eyes off hers which seemed to be staring just as intently back into his.

_Through the hourglass I saw you, in time you slipped away  
><em>_When the mirror crashed, I called you and turned to hear you say  
><em>_If only for today, I am unafraid_

_Take my breath away  
><em>_Take my breath away_

_Watching every motion in this foolish lover's game  
><em>_Haunted by the notion, somewhere there's a love in flames  
><em>_Turning and returning to some secret place inside  
><em>_Watching in slow motion as you turn my way and say_

_Take my breath away_

_My love, take my breath away  
><em>_My love, take my breath away  
><em>_My love  
><em>_My love, take my breath away_

The song ended and Rachel took a shaky breath as the world flooded back. Her eye contact broke with Finn and she looked around at the people in the bar who were all clapping wildly and whistling, including Finn who had stood up and started 'woo'-ing loudly. On cloud nine at her stellar performance, Rachel curtsied and blew a kiss. It had been so long since she had received true praise for her talent that it was almost overwhelming. She really missed it.

Rachel walked off the stage and back to their table, her heart beating rapidly in her chest from the thrill. "So what'd you think?" she asked a little apprehensively. Rachel took a sip of her drink to remoisten her suddenly dry throat.

"You have the most beautiful voice I've ever heard. Why aren't you on Broadway? You blew Roxie and Velma out of the water!" Finn crowed. He had a huge smile on his face which was making Rachel smile and blush.

"That is a question I've pondered the answer to myself on multiple occasions. Apparently casting directors for all the shows I've ever auditioned for didn't think the same as you." She folded her hands in her lap and stared down at them.

Finn lifted her chin so she'd look at him. "They're wrong. You were brilliant up there. When you were singing, I could feel it…all the emotion and feeling you were trying get across."

Rachel swallowed thickly as Finn leaned closer. As his lips were just about to touch hers a waitress interrupted them.

"Excuse me, sorry. Um, Troy, the DJ, he told me to let you know you're one of the three finalists for the karaoke contest."

"I didn't enter the contest," Rachel said with minor confusion. She looked at Finn who just shrugged not knowing either.

"Yeah you did. You signed up right here." She pointed to the list that read 'Karaoke Competition Contestants' which clearly said Rachel Berry on it. Rachel hadn't even realized there was more than one sign-up sheet to sing. "The winner gets free drinks for the night so you might as well and with those pipes, I'm sure you'll win."

"Okay. I'll pick a song out I guess."

"Oh you don't need to. The finalists have to sing a song at random to make it a little fairer. Those are Troy's rules. You'll be last up since you were the last to make it in."

Rachel uneasily smiled at the woman who wished her luck.

"She's right you know. You'll definitely win. All these other people we've heard so far haven't been very good," Finn assessed. He took a swig of his beer. "And hey free drinks!" Rachel just laughed at him.

As Rachel watched the first two finalists perform she had to admit that Finn had a point. An off-key middle aged woman went first butchering Kelly Clarkson's Since U Been Gone while the second finalist, a college aged guy, sang Rockstar by Nickelback. Finally it was Rachel's turn. She took the stage and waited for Troy to announce the song she'd be singing.

"Okay Rachel! The iTunes shuffle gods have spoken and your song is…S&M by Rihanna! This should be interesting. Take it away Rachel!" He started the music and Rachel just stared at him agape.

She walked over to the booth he was DJ-ing from and whispered harshly at him. "I can't sing this song! It's not me at all!"

"That's the point of the random picking. You never know what you get to work with. I once saw a 300 pound man win singing Material Girl. I think you can handle Rihanna. Now sing!"

By the time she walked back out to center stage she had missed most of the 'na na na come on's but prepared herself for the first verse. She was very hesitant about singing this song as it was about hardcore kinky sex which was not her in the least. Though she loved to sing the song whenever it came on her iPod at home that didn't mean she was comfortable singing it in public.

_Feels so good being bad (Oh oh oh oh oh)  
><em>_There's no way I'm turning back (Oh oh oh oh oh)  
><em>_Now the pain is my pleasure 'cause nothing could measure (Oh oh oh oh oh)_

_Love is great, love is fine (Oh oh oh oh oh)  
><em>_Out the box, outta line (Oh oh oh oh oh)  
><em>_The affliction of the feeling leaves me wanting more (Oh oh oh oh oh)_

'_Cause I may be bad but I'm perfectly good at it  
><em>_Sex in the air, I don't care, I love the smell of it  
><em>_Sticks and stones may break my bones  
><em>_But chains and whips excite me_

As Rachel repeated the chorus she looked at Finn who was staring at her with his mouth open. She smirked at his expression and suddenly felt the urge to work the song better. She danced around, sauntered back and forth across the stage engaging the audience and every so often when she'd glance at Finn who looked like he was drooling, she would shake her booty a little more.

_Oh, I love the feeling you bring to me, oh, you turn me on  
><em>_It's exactly what I've been yearning for, give it to me strong  
><em>_And meet me in my boudoir, make my body say ah ah ah  
><em>_I like it-like it_

'_Cause I may be bad but I'm perfectly good at it  
><em>_Sex in the air, I don't care, I love the smell of it  
><em>_Sticks and stones may break my bones  
><em>_But chains and whips excite me_

Rachel finished out the song staring Finn down like a lioness looking for a tasty wildebeest, her sexual frustration being completely channeled into the raunchy song. Once it was over and every guy in the place was catcalling and whistling at her, Troy immediately crowned her winner.

After she curtsied and thanked everyone again, Rachel went back to the table to find a fresh Cosmopolitan waiting for her. "That was exhilarating! I've never sang a song or danced like that in public before. Maybe if I had I'd have gotten a part in a musical by now." She chugged down her drink.

"You are definitely the best performer I've ever seen," Finn reiterated before polishing off his own drink.

Rachel tapped the shoulder of the waitress walking by. "Could we please get another Cosmo and," Rachel grabbed Finn's bottle to see he had a Sam Adams, "another one of these." The woman smiled at her and went off to grab more drinks. Rachel turned her attention back to Finn. "We are going to celebrate this little victory! Drinks are on me tonight!"

Nearly three hours later a drunk Finn and an even drunker Rachel were stumbling into her building laughing about Rachel losing her shoe in the sewer. She had bet Finn that she could run faster than him and when attempting to remove her heels to start the race, she ripped her shoe off more forcefully than intended. It flew out into the street and Finn, being the chivalrous gentleman that he was, ran out to the street to grab it for her but as he stood back up a car came by and nearly hit him. In his haste to get out of the way, the black pump flew out of his hand and rolled into a drain. Rachel had burst out laughing when Finn dropped to the ground to try to get it out but the smell alone made him pop back up before even trying to rescue the shoe. He told her to add it to the list of things he'd pay her back for.

The lost shoe totally distracted both of them from their 'who can run faster' bet and since she now only had one pump thus making her uneven, Finn picked her up bridal style and carried her down the street until they made it to her door.

"I swear I'll get you a new shoe!" Finn exclaimed as he and Rachel started walking up the stairs.

"You keep saying you'll pay me back but McKinley money won't be any good here," she stated, sticking her shoe in his face.

"I wasn't gonna give you money. I was gonna have a tiara made for you that you could do whatever you wanted with."

Rachel's mouth fell open and she bounced up and down excitedly. "I've always wanted a tiara! I'd be like a real princess then," she giggled, taking her key out of her wristlet.

"You'd be a great princess…or queen." Rachel stopped giggling as she looked at Finn's serious expression, his eyebrows furrowed in thought.

Before she knew what she was doing Rachel wrapped her arms around Finn's neck to bring him down to kiss him fiercely. She squeezed him tightly, not wanting to ever let go while Finn picked her up and wrapped her legs around his waist. He pressed her up against the door and ran his hands down her sides and under her butt. They lost themselves in each other forgetting they were in the middle of the hallway until a screech broke their heated make-out.

"Rachel! How could you do this to me, my sweet?" Jacob's shrill nasally voice cried out from his doorway.

Finn and Rachel turned their attention toward the Jewfro-ed nuisance and both rolled their eyes. Rachel tapped Finn indicating he needed to put her down then wobbled over to Jacob.

"Jacob, I'm gonna to say this as nicely as I can while I'm drunk! I'm not 'your sweet' and we are not together and we never will be because I don' like you and you creep me out all the time." She leaned forward and brought her shoe up to her face and held it like she was trying to use it to tell him a secret. "Also, don' tell him, but I think I'm fallin' in love with Finn, but you can't tell him!" she disclosed to a dejected Jacob loudly in what she thought was a whisper.

Behind her, Finn couldn't help the smile that spread across his face at Rachel's words. She had just admitted she was falling in love with him. He knew she had felt something for him too and now he had proof from Rachel herself. When he brought her back to McKinley he had to convince her not to leave. Though he may have never voice the words aloud, even to himself, Finn knew he was in love with Rachel. There was no way he could go home and stay there without her. He would fight for her until he died if necessary.

Finn was so caught up in his thoughts about Rachel he hadn't even noticed she had thrown her remaining shoe at Jacob's head when he called her 'my sweet' again and puckered up to kiss her. It was her gripping his hand tightly that brought Finn back into the hallway.

"And stop stalking me you…you stalker!" She turned on her heel, found her key again and burst through her door dragging Finn in behind her. When it was closed and locked she pushed Finn down onto the couch, straddled him then removed his blazer from his body. They kissed frenziedly as if the other would disappear when their lips no longer touched while Rachel tugged Finn's shirt off over his head. She raked her nails down his bare chest, finally getting to feel the body she had seen so much of already but had never been able to touch.

When Finn couldn't figure out how Rachel's dress came off exactly, she stood up and pulled the shoulder down allowing the dress to slip easily to the floor. She stood there in her strapless black bra and satin black panties. Her eyes smoldered while she licked her lips before she walked over to her dresser to search for the one condom she knew she had.

While Rachel wasn't touching him, Finn was able to think a little clearer about what was going on. This had been the very thing he had been fantasizing about since meeting Rachel but now that it was happening he wasn't sure he wanted it to, at least not like this. They were drunk, Rachel very much so, and chances were she wouldn't remember much in the morning. Finn didn't want that. He wanted her to know what was going on and to remember it and to _really_ want it. The alcohol was clouding her brain and he didn't want to take advantage of that. He wanted his first time with Rachel to be something special. Sex during a drunken haze should not be the way two people who love each other share their first time.

"Rachel, Rachel," Finn called out trying to get Rachel's attention. She was digging around furiously in the top drawer pulling underwear and socks out. When he got her attention she turned to look at him holding a familiar looking flesh tone object in her hand. "What…what are you holding?" He squinted to get a better look. "Is that a…do you keep men's penises in your drawer?"

Rachel's eyes widened as she realized what she was holding in her hand in plain view for Finn to see. She chucked it back in the drawer, her cheeks already red from the booze going even redder. A nervous laugh escaped her lips.

"That…that's nothing. Not what I was looking for." Dropping the subject, she went back to digging around in the drawer. Finn stood up from the couch this time and turned Rachel around to face him.

"Rachel. Stop. We…we need to talk about this."

Rachel ran her hands down his bare chest to his waistband. "I don't want to talk."

Finn stilled her hands which were working on unbuttoning his pants. "Well I do." He led her over to the couch and sat her down then sat down next to her. He let out a shaky breath. "Rach, I want to do this so badly," he closed his eyes, this conversation paining him to have, "but not like this. We're drunk, you're really drunk and I don't want our first time to be like this. I want it to be because of more than just Cosmopolitans. I want you to want me to make love to you while sober."

Rachel looked really disappointed. "You don't want to have sex with me?" she asked sadly.

Was that the only part she had heard?

Finn took her face in his hands and leaned his forehead against hers. "I want to make love to you, but not this way. I want you to feel special and loved and I don't want anything clouding your judgment. Please don't take this the wrong way." He closed the gap between their lips once more and kissed her softly.

Somehow through the drunkenness she understood. When Finn put it in those terms, this seemed too rushed and definitely much less romantic than the picture he had in mind.

"Okay, we'll wait. But not too much longer I hope," she mumbled against Finn's lips.

"Whenever you're sober and ready, I'm ready." Finn pulled away a little and looked around noticing for the first time that Rachel's bed wasn't out. "How do you get your bed out?"

Rachel looked around her realizing it wasn't out also. She stood up, pulling Finn with her and yanked the cushions off her couch. She pulled the bed out and threw her pillow onto it before digging a nightgown out and pulling it on then settling into bed for the night. Finn picked up his blanket and pillow he'd used the night previous and made to lie down on the floor again.

"What are you doing?" Rachel asked, not understanding why Finn was getting onto the floor.

"I'm going to lie down."

Rachel smiled at him. "You can sleep up here with me tonight if you want," she said innocently. "We might not be having sex but we can still sleep together tonight."

Finn chuckled a little as he shucked his pants and crawled next to Rachel on the bed. Once comfortable, Finn pulled Rachel against him tightly. She caressed his cheek.

"Thank you," she said quietly.

"For what?" Finn asked back.

"For following me to New York."

Finn smirked and kissed her forehead. "I'd follow you anywhere, Rachel."

They hugged each other tighter and easily drifted off into a peaceful sleep.

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><p>Just an fyi since a few people asked, the way time works will be explained. Just haven't gotten that far in the story yet. :)<p> 


	7. Home

Ah, an update.

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><p>The sun shone on her face alerting her to the new day's arrival. She felt like crap as her head pounded. What had she done last night?<p>

Then an arm not belong to her slid over her stomach and pulled her even closer to a chest she hadn't realized her back was pressed against. Rachel froze and her eyes widened as it dawned that someone was in her bed.

"Morning," a deep, recognizable voice mumbled into her ear. Rachel relaxed a little when she remembered it was Finn. She turned her head and saw him sleepily smiling at her. Uneasily, she smiled back then turned away from Finn again.

Oh God! They'd had sex didn't they? She couldn't handle this right now. That wasn't what she wanted!

"Last night was fun," Finn said as he snuggled closer to Rachel, if that were even possible, and nuzzled his face against her neck.

Rachel giggled nervously. "Yeah, what I can remember. I got pretty drunk last night." She turned to look back at him. "Finn," Rachel needed to find out if they'd actually had sex or not, "did we, um, did we sleep together? Like have sex?" She felt horrible about not remembering. If they did have sex it sucked that she didn't even remember it and if they didn't she would feel embarrassed about even asking.

Finn chuckled a little. "No, we didn't."

Rachel blew out a sigh of relief. So she hadn't wasted her first time with Finn.

"But we both really wanted to," he added.

Rachel turned in his arms to face him. "Why didn't we?"

"I didn't want our first time to be while we were drunk and I didn't think you'd want it to happen that way either." He brushed a stray piece of hair out of Rachel's face.

"Thank you," she replied quietly. They stared at each other momentarily before Finn leaned forward to tenderly kiss Rachel. He held her in his arms as the kiss grew deeper until he rolled them over so he was on top. She ran her hands over Finn's bare back, holding him as close to her as she could.

He moved his lips to her jaw then to her neck and down to her shoulder and collarbone. She moved her hands to run through his hair and moaned as his hand moved over her breast. She could feel his arousal against her leg and grew wet herself.

Just as Rachel was about to stop and confess to Finn why she had been apprehensive and appreciative of him stopping things the night prior, Rachel's phone rang. Finn groaned and reluctantly pulled away from Rachel when the phone didn't stop.

"Do you want to get that?" he asked bitterly.

"Since it won't stop, I guess." Finn rolled off Rachel and she got up to grab her phone. "Hello?"

"Rachel, hey, it's Rocco. Just wanted to know what time you and Finn will be over today because Alice is coming over but I need to know what time to tell her. Sooner would be better than later."

Rachel looked over at Finn who was lying in wait for her. She really wanted to just hang up on Rocco and jump him but that would be rude and she did need to get Finn home. "We'll be there as soon as we can; probably an hour and a half or so."

She mouthed 'sorry' as Finn's face fell. He got out of bed and stretched, making Rachel drool as she watched his muscles flex without him knowing.

"Rachel, _Rachel_!" Rocco yelled through the phone when she didn't respond to his query.

She shook her head and looked away from Finn to keep her mind clear. "Sorry, what?"

"I said make sure Finn brings my shoes back. I need them."

"I will do that. See you soon. Bye!" Rachel hung up the phone and rubbed her face. They had been so close.

An hour and a half later after Finn and Rachel were showered and dressed they stood outside Rocco's waiting for him to answer the door.

"My mom is probably wondering where the hell I disappeared to. I'm not exactly an easy person to lose for two days."

Rachel looked thoughtful. "Actually, I think you reenter time from the point you left from. The two times I came back I came back at the same time I left."

"Really?" Finn shrugged. That worked for him. That way his mother wouldn't be worried and demand to know where he'd been for over two days.

Rocco opened the door and greeted the pair. He looked a little smug. "And how was your night?"

Rachel rolled her eyes as she breezed past him, Finn following behind handing his borrowed shoes back to Rocco.

"So how does this door thing work?" Rocco asked with interest, placing the shoes down in the kitchen as they walked past.

Rachel chewed her lip. "I'm not entirely sure. All I know is that the door behind you has to be closed to go forward."

"Heh, interesting."

"Where did you get the cabinet from?" she asked.

"An antique shop. The woman selling it didn't know much about it; said a man brought it in a few weeks before I bought it."

She turned to Finn. "What do you know about your cabinet?"

He shrugged. "It's a cabinet. It's always just been in my room holding my coats."

Rachel sighed. "I guess we may never know the answer to the mystery… Well we should probably go so you can get to Alice." Then a thought hit Rachel. If they reentered time where they left from, did that mean time froze until they got back? What if it stayed frozen forever because someone never went back? Since Rachel would be back after her one day with Finn anyway she supposed it wouldn't hurt for time to freeze just for today, if that was how it worked.

Rachel gripped Finn's hand and pulled him to the spare room where Rocco kept his magician's supplies. She opened the door and motioned for Finn to enter.

"Ladies first," he said, nodding for her to go before him. He wanted to be sure Rachel wouldn't back out on him at the last second and make him go home alone. She just rolled her eyes and stepped in first. Finn smiled and turned to Rocco who was in the doorway. He stuck his hand out. "It was really nice meeting you Rocco. Thanks for everything."

The older man shook Finn's hand. "No problem. Anytime you need someone to smack you over the head, I'm available." Both men chuckled before Rocco turned serious. "Please make sure Rachel makes it back safely. I don't want anything to happen to her."

Finn's face hardened. "Of course. I would never let anything happen to her." He meant what he said. Finn would do everything in his power to make sure Rachel would always be safe, loved and appreciated. He never wanted her to feel sad again.

Rocco released him and Finn walked over to the cabinet to grab Rachel's outstretched hand. It was soft and warm and seemed to fit perfectly inside his. "Bye Rocco," Rachel waved with her free hand before pulling the cabinet door shut.

The pair stood in the tiny cramped space together in the dark until Finn stuck his hand out to push the back open. He only felt a solid wall though. "Uh, where's the door? This is solid." He panicked a little, thoughts of never seeing home again flitting through his mind until Rachel snapped back the solid wall and pushed open the door into his bedroom. They stumbled out into Finn's bright room and looked around assessing the situation.

Finn noticed the time on the clock and as Rachel said, it appeared they had arrived at the moment Finn had left from. It was strange; two days had gone by yet they hadn't.

"So what are we doing tod-"

Before Rachel could even finish her sentence Finn's lips were on hers picking up from where they had left off that morning. He held her face in his hands while Rachel hugged his torso tightly. When they had kissed so long they needed to break for air, Rachel took the opportunity to interject.

"What happened to taking me out to see the kingdom?" she asked through a giggle.

"I'm starting now. The first stop on our grand tour is my bed." He smiled an adorable but cocky half-smile before leaning forward to kiss Rachel again, this time picking her up and carrying her over to his bed.

Finn laid her out under him, his hand beginning to run up her creamy smooth thighs until they found the elastic of her panties. His hand sneakily slid under it to cup her bare ass to which Rachel moaned appreciatively.

In all her life Rachel had never been so connected to someone on so many levels. Though she had only known Finn for a few days it seemed like they had never known a time without the other. Like a lock and a key, Finn and Rachel seemed made for each other and maybe Finn was right when he said she had found the doorway for a reason. Maybe they were supposed to find each other, to be with each other.

Suddenly a little squeak pulled Rachel out from her musings about her relationship with Finn just as he had begun to unbutton her blouse. "Finn!" she whispered trying to draw his attention to the fact that a woman was standing in his room watching them. When he finally noticed, his expression went from elation to horror.

He shot off Rachel and stormed over to the woman. "What do you think you're doing in here Quinn? You can't just barge into my bedroom!"

"I'm sorry, your Majesty. I just needed to talk to you. I had no idea you had company," the blonde explained, trying to come across as innocent as possible. Her eyes flickered over to Rachel who was buttoning up her shirt and trying to make it look like she and Finn hadn't just nearly had sex…again.

"It doesn't matter if I have company or not, you can't just sneak into my room. How did you even get up here anyway?" Finn was genuinely confused. There were servants and guards everywhere. How would she go unnoticed?

Then Quinn's whole demeanor changed. "I live in a castle myself. I know how to navigate my way around servants and guards when I need to." She stepped closer to Finn her eyes growing darker, voice more flirtatious. "I just wanted to tell you that I don't blame you for not wanting to marry me." Finn's eyebrows knitted together. "We hardly know each other; of course you would be doubtful about marrying someone you know nothing about. So I thought I'd come up here to surprise you and get to _know_ you better."

Quinn looked up at Finn through her lashes as she extended her hand and placed it on his chest. Finn was about to tell Quinn he was less than interested and kick her out so he and Rachel could resume their activities but Rachel beat him to the punch.

Throughout the exchange between Quinn and Finn, Rachel had sat on the bed silently watching. She knew Finn could handle this situation and she believed him when he said he didn't want Quinn. She was through fighting Finn anymore, it was clear to her now that they both wanted each other and though it would be difficult, they'd figure out some way to make it work. So she patiently waited for Finn to tell Quinn off and chuck her out the room until the blonde put her paw on Finn. Inside an intense feeling of jealousy welled up making Rachel a little infuriated. She hopped off the bed and strolled over to Finn and Quinn.

"Finn is not interested Quinn! He's told you that on numerous occasions and nothing will change that," she asserted loudly to the woman. Rachel snaked her arm around Finn's and looked up into his smiling face.

Quinn looked disgusted by Rachel attaching herself to Finn. Who was this scantily clad harlot who thought it appropriate to speak in front of her and the king that way? She was Quinn Fabray, daughter of one of the most prominent Ladies in all of McKinley while this _thing_ looked like a prostitute! She shouldn't even be allowed into the castle much less the king's bed.

Anger boiled over in Quinn. "You're choosing _her_ over me? She looks like a common whore and definitely not worthy of your time or ti-"

Finn moved forward, pulling Rachel protectively behind him as if his body could keep Quinn's words from hurting her. "Don't you _ever_ speak that way about someone I care very deeply for in my presence again!" he growled out, cutting Quinn off. His eyes were dark and threatening as he towered over Quinn. "You forget who you're speaking to. I may be nice but I am not a pushover and you _will not_ insult me by insulting my guest."

Quinn swallowed harshly as she cowered away from Finn. "I-I'm sorry your Majesty. I forgot my place. I spoke before thinking and I apologize." She looked at the tiny brunette peeking around Finn at her. "I apologize for my behavior and I'm sorry if what I said hurt you." She bowed her head and stared at the floor.

"I suggest you leave now," Finn said in a low voice. Quinn just shook her head still staring at the floor as she turned and exited the room.

The atmosphere had changed and now Finn was in a foul mood. Who was Quinn to come into his room and judge him and his company? He was the king and he loved Rachel and Quinn had zero right to do what she did. Finn composed himself trying to wipe the anger from his face before turning to look at Rachel again.

Rachel wore an expression he couldn't quite place as he looked down at her. "I'm so sorry about that. Quinn should not have come up here. I told them to go home after I left but obviously they didn't listen and I can't believe you had to see that. I'm not usually that angry. When she said those things about you…I just snapped a little."

"It's okay Finn, really." Rachel started to blush a little. "I actually thought it was rather chivalrous how you came to my defense. No one's ever done that for me before." She glanced up at him shyly. Without another word Finn took Rachel back into his arms and started for the bed again until a knock on the door and a high pitched voice stopped them.

"Your Majesty, I'm sorry to bother you again but your mother would like a word," Kurt said from a crack in the door. "She says it's urgent."

Finn groaned as he put Rachel back on the floor. "What does she want now?"

"She wants you to come downstairs."

He ran his hands over his face in annoyance before turning to Rachel. "I don't want to leave you alone again, not because I think you'll leave," he clarified when she went to speak, "but because I just don't want to leave you." Rachel smiled softly as she intertwined her fingers with Finn's.

"Then don't. I would be more than happy to meet your mother."

"Really?" Finn looked skeptical.

"Of course. I'm happy to meet anyone important to you."

"Okay, I'll take you to meet her." Finn and Rachel met Kurt outside the door and he looked rather confused.

"What are you wearing?" he asked noticing that Finn and his mystery lady had changed clothes.

Finn looked down at himself realizing he still had on the jeans and plaid shirt Rachel had bought him. "Oh, these are some clothes Rachel picked out. They're really comfortable."

Kurt nodded his head. "They aren't very befitting of a king. And no offence but do you really want your mother to meet your…what was your name again miss?"

"My name is Rachel, Rachel Berry," she introduced sticking her hand out. Kurt daintily shook it.

"Kurt, Kurt Hummel. I dress the king and basically keep his crown on his head." He chuckled a little. "Anyway," he turned back to Finn, "do you want your mother meeting Rachel when she's dressed so inappropriately?" His eyes scanned over Rachel's attire. What woman went around wearing skirts that short and sleeveless tops?

Finn looked down at Rachel's outfit too. He had grown used to her cute clothes and completely forgot that Rachel would stick out if she went around McKinley wearing them. "He's actually got a point Rachel. Not that I don't love your clothes, I do," Rachel blushed at his statement, "but you'll draw a lot of attention if you wear them here. I'm sure Kurt could find something for you though."

They both looked at Kurt who graciously bowed his head. "I would be more than happy to assist you in finding a look that suits your skin tone and body type. If you come with me I can dress you then bring you back downstairs when we're done." He looked up to Finn to see if that would be okay.

"Sounds good. I'll go see what my mother wants I guess." Before leaving Kurt to direct Rachel to the wardrobe wing – yes, they had an entire wing dedicated to only clothes at Kurt's urging – Finn pulled Rachel into a hug then held her face in his hands. He gave her a scorching kiss then reluctantly pulled away. Still looking at Rachel, he spoke to Kurt. "Don't take too long, Kurt. We have plans today." Rachel smiled at him.

Finn backed away slowly then turned to go find his mother leaving Kurt and Rachel alone in the hall. Kurt arched an eyebrow while a small smile played on the corner of his lips. He had never seen Finn so taken with anyone and he'd known him his entire life. Who was this girl and where did she come from?

"Walk with me." Kurt extended his arm to Rachel and she took it. They walked in the opposite direction Finn had gone, Kurt leading the way. "So, you seem to have stolen our king's heart. Are you a witch?"

Rachel chuckled a little uneasily. "No. I'm just a girl."

"I only ask because many women have tried and failed to gain his attention and here you come out of nowhere to win him over. It seems like witchcraft."

"Witches aren't real."

Kurt raised his eyebrow at her again. "I guarantee you witches are very real. Most are good, but not all. Finn's own aunt, Sue, has one in her employ who constantly works to try to off him. Luckily, she's never been successful, obviously."

Rachel was surprised to hear this. There were witches here? And Finn's aunt was trying to kill him? It sounded like something out of a fairytale or medieval history. Then again this whole situation was something out of a fairytale.

"I wonder if the fact you seem to roam around in your underwear has anything to do with Finn's feelings for you," Kurt assessed, looking at Rachel closely.

"Where I come from this isn't underwear. This is quite appropriate for the summer months." Rachel loved her pink ruffled skirt and yellow button down sleeveless blouse. It was very summery and very comfortable.

"Where do you come from exactly?"

"You wouldn't know it but it's called New York, specifically Manhattan."

Kurt shook his head. "You're right, I've never heard of it." They came to a stop at a door and Kurt opened it. On the other side were more fancy dresses than Rachel had ever seen in her life. Kurt let go of Rachel and waltzed in immediately searching for the perfect thing.

Downstairs Finn found his mother staring out the window of the grand hall. "Mom, you wanted to talk to me?"

She turned and smiled at him. "Yes, I did." She paused tilting her head at how Finn was dressed. "What are you wearing?"

Finn sighed. He really needed to remember to change before leaving. "It's not important. What did you want to talk to me about?"

Carole ignored his clothing and went back to her original train of thought. "I sent Lady Fabray and Quinn home like you asked but…I want you to reconsider marrying Quinn." Finn rolled his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest. "Just hear me out. You _need_ a wife and Quinn is the best choice. She comes from a good family and she's beautiful and intelligent and maybe a little harsh but you cannot deny she would make an excellent queen."

"Mom, I appreciate your concern about finding me a wife, but I am an adult. I can find one myself. I actually have someone in mind."

Carole's eyebrows shot up at this. "Oh? And when did this happen? Who would that be? Do I know her? It's not that Brittany girl is it? She's a sweetheart but I don't think she'd be right for the kingdom."

Finn shook his head. "No, it's not Brittany. You don't know her. We haven't known each other that long but it feels like we have. I've never felt this way about anyone and I can't imagine not having her in my life. I'm trying to think of a good way to tell her that." The entire time he spoke about this girl his face was alight and he couldn't stop smiling.

Carole smiled at her son. "You really think you've found someone?" Finn nodded. "You think she'd make a good queen and would make you happy?"

"Yeah, I do."

"And she could provide an heir?" Carole pressed.

"Is that all you care about?" Finn groaned.

"No, it's not. Believe it or not I don't just want you to have a child to carry on the Hudson line. I'd like to be a grandmother some day." She smiled again. "If you really think this woman, whoever she is, could be the one, I suppose I can _try_ not to force Quinn on you. All I've ever wanted was for you to be happy and to have a family to be happy with."

"I want that too. I wanted to find it on my own though."

Suddenly from behind them a throat cleared alerting them to someone else's presence. "Your Majesties, I'd like to present Miss Rachel Berry," Kurt announced, showing off a beautifully dressed Rachel.

She wore a simple long sleeved tight fitting dark blue floor length dress that cinched under her breasts and had a wide oval neck at the top then flowed out toward the bottom. Though it wasn't as racy as what she had worn the night before in Manhattan she looked beautiful in it. Finn swallowed thickly as he stepped forward to take Rachel's hand.

"You look lovely," he told her quietly, kissing the back of her hand.

"Thank you." She grinned at Finn then nodded her head at Kurt in a silent thank you.

"My mom," Finn remembered once the shock of seeing Rachel wore off. He turned around, still holding Rachel's hand, to face his mother. He cleared his throat. "Mom, um uh, this is Rachel. She's the woman I was telling you about."

Carole moved forward to assess the woman her son was smitten with. Rachel showed off her brightest smile to her. "I must say until a few moments ago I've heard absolutely nothing about you but Finn, it seems, can't stop thinking about you. He had a dopey grin on his face the entire time he told me about you."

Rachel looked up at Finn to see him looking away, turning red from embarrassment. She couldn't help the smile that crossed her face.

The room went silent for a moment until Carole suddenly pulled Rachel in for a hug. "It's so nice to meet you." Finn, Kurt and Rachel were all caught off guard by Carole's reaction. She wasn't one to randomly hug people she just met but she was holding onto Rachel as if she were her own daughter. "I don't know who you are but you make my son happy unlike every woman I've ever tried to set him up with so I'm very grateful for that."

Rachel looked at Finn unsurely. "Well I'm glad to make him happy. He makes me very happy too." It was the absolute truth and she would never deny it again.

Finally Carole released her. Finn took Rachel's hand again and brought her back next to him. He cleared his throat awkwardly. "'S good to know everyone knows everyone now but Rachel and I actually have plans for the day. I'm riding her – I mean, we're going for a ride…on horses…together." Finn shook his head at the slip and started turning red again.

Carole pretended to not hear what her son wanted to do with Rachel and looked happy for them. "That sounds like a wonderful idea. You should show her around the kingdom."

"That's the plan. Well, we're going now. Come on Rachel." He really wanted to get out of there before he said anything else stupid in front of his mother and Kurt. Rachel waved goodbye to Kurt and Carole and let Finn lead her away.

Two miles away on a road leading out of town Lady Fabray and Quinn were pulling their carriage over to the side of the road. They sat in silence until a knock on the door came and alerted them to their conference's arrival. The mother and daughter exited their own carriage and walked across the road to the much larger one sitting on the other side. The man who had knocked on their door opened the dark door of the new carriage and helped the women inside.

"Tell me there's a wedding or I will not be pleased," a deep menacing voice said from the shadows of the side of the carriage Lady Fabray and Quinn were not seated on.

Quinn gulped. "We tried but he refuses. I was even willing to use my body to persuade him but he shut me down and threw me out."

Sue Sylvester leaned forward into the light with rage in her eyes. "That is not acceptable! I had your word you would get the job done! I need Finn to be married for my plan to work and _you_ were supposed to be the one he picked."

"Your Highness, we tried-"

"Well try harder!" Sue barked at her. She took a few deep breaths, nostrils flaring. "Why is he so against marrying you? He needs a queen; you're the best woman he's been offered so far."

Lady Fabray spoke. "He's insistent on finding his own wife. He doesn't want one chosen for him."

"Then don't make it seem like he's choosing. Make him believe he wants Quinn. How hard is that?"

"There's a girl, a whore is more accurate," she couldn't get the sight of her wearing practically nothing out of her head, "who he seems to have developed feelings for."

"What?" Sue screeched at her. "Since when? You've never mentioned this before."

"I only just discovered her today. She doesn't seem to be from around here. I've never seen her before but Finn…he has very strong feelings for her."

Sue looked enraged. Why couldn't Finn just be a good little boy and marry Quinn like his mommy wanted? He had to be stubborn just like her brother was! "You will break him of these feelings and you _will_ marry him. You have to if you want a place in my monarchy."

"Yes, your Highness, we'll do everything we can-" Lady Fabray began until Quinn cut her off.

"That is one thing I've always wondered about… Why should I help you? I could marry Finn and rule by his side as queen. If I help you with whatever your sure to be nefarious plot is, I'll only be a princess. Why should I help you?" she asked coolly, arching a perfectly manicured eyebrow.

Sue narrowed her eyes before smirking evilly. "Maybe you've forgotten Quinn, but let me do you a favor and remind you. Once there was a girl who got pregnant by her daddy's no good scum servant boy and when mommy found out took care of daddy so he wouldn't be able to throw her out of the house. The law found out about daddy but after a deal was struck with a very powerful woman, the law wasn't a problem. The girl gave birth and the powerful woman found the bastard child a home. In return for the protection and help, the girl and her mommy swore to help the powerful woman with whatever she needed otherwise the woman would turn their ass' in faster than I could shave off a curly man's hair. I don't trust a man with curly hair. I can't help picturing birds laying sulfurous eggs in there and I find it disgusting. Anyway, point is Q, if you don't do what I say when I say, you can kiss this pretty little lifestyle you've grown accustomed to goodbye. Do you really think Finn would want a little slut who opens her legs for the help as his wife and queen and a murderer as a mother-in-law? I doubt it. I don't like failure and if you turn on me, you will regret it."

She stared both women down until they felt as if she were looking into their souls. "Get the job done or I'm finding someone else who will," she intimidated. "Now get out of my carriage and figure out how to get Finn down the aisle." With that Sue leaned back into the shadows and went silent.

Lady Fabray and Quinn exited the carriage now set on their mission more than ever. They had reputations and a lifestyle to protect. If they didn't succeed they were screwed.

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><p>I know it wasn't too exciting this chapter but it was important. Next chapter: tour of McKinley! Yay!<p> 


	8. The Unicorn's Tale

What is this? An update finally? Hooray!

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><p>After Finn changed into some less noticeable clothing, he and Rachel made their way down to the stable. Rachel was excited to see Finn's horses and to ride one. When she was little she had always wanted a pony but her dads of course said no so it was only ever a silly dream.<p>

As she walked into the stable and laid eyes on a beautiful white horse, she gasped and smiled brightly. When the horse lifted its head she was even more stunned. Right in the center of its head between the ears was a golden spiral horn. She couldn't believe what she was seeing; it appeared as if this horse was actually a unicorn.

"Finn, is that a unicorn?" she whispered to him.

"Yeah. I'm surprised he's in here. Usually they run around in the forest since they aren't too big on people." He walked over to the unicorn.

"Hello Finn!" a woman called out as she popped up from behind the large animal, startling Finn who stepped back and knocked over a bucket of oats. The unicorn whinnied and walked over the oats and began to eat them.

"Brittany, don't do that!" Finn cried out, taking a deep breath to steady his rapidly beating heart.

She looked apologetic. "Sorry. I was brushing Nigel."

Finn's eyes widened. "This is Nigel?" He looked at the unicorn in awe.

Brittany smiled like a proud mama. "Yep. He did a good deed when he saved Farmer Bamboo from the ravine yesterday and turned into a unicorn. I'm getting him ready to go find his friends in the forest."

Finn smiled at the unicorn and pet his side. "Hey Nigel. Congratulations! I'm so proud of you," he praised of his former horse. Finn knew it was a big deal for a horse to turn into a unicorn and Nigel had always wanted that honor. It was bittersweet however as Nigel was Finn's favorite noble and trusty steed.

Nigel shook his head and neighed.

"He says thank you, your Majesty," Brittany said.

"Wait a second, you can understand him?" Rachel asked, stunned.

For the first time Brittany noticed that there was another woman in the stable with them. She looked her up and down assessing her. "Who are you?"

Rachel glanced between Finn and the woman. "I'm Finn's…I'm Rachel, Rachel Berry. And you are?" she asked, extending her hand to the blonde.

Brittany took her hand. "I'm Brittany, Brittany S. Pierce. I'm Finn's friend and sometimes lover who takes care of his horses." She shook Rachel's hand as if it were no big deal that she just revealed that she and Finn were 'sometimes lovers'.

"Oh," Rachel's face fell as Finn's nostrils flared a little.

"That was a _long_ time ago Rachel. Brittany has been happily married for over a year now," Finn explained quickly with a minor glare at his friend.

Rachel nodded in understanding. Finn was sweet and handsome, not to mention a freaking king! Of course he would have had _lovers_ prior to meeting her.

Nigel started whinnying again and Brittany's eyes grew wide. "Oh my gosh, I'm sorry. I didn't realize you were on a date." She looked pointedly at Rachel. "I mean, I totally don't know anything about what Finn's 'crown jewels' look like. I can only imagine they're big." She winked at Rachel while she and Finn both grew a little red. Nigel shook his head. "You're right we should go."

Realizing she still didn't get an answer from her earlier question, Rachel asked it again. "You can understand him?"

Brittany shook her head. "Uh huh, I'm fluent in horse." Nigel brayed and Brittany rolled her eyes. "And unicorn. Jeez, Nigel, they're the same thing." The horse and woman stared each other down until Brittany's face cracked into a smile. She stuck her hand out and pet the animal's head. "Fine, they're a little different."

Rachel watched the woman and horse interact and was intrigued by it. She'd heard of horse whisperers before but she didn't think they could _actually_ understand the horses.

Suddenly Brittany gasped, her mouth dropping open in shock. "No way! You're serious? She is? How do you know?" The animal shook his head then Brittany turned to Rachel. "You came through the door?"

Finn and Rachel threw nervous glances at each other. How could Brittany know that?

"How do you know that?" Finn asked.

Brittany shrugged. "Nigel told me." She scoffed and smirked like they were the idiots.

"How did he know?" Finn asked more specifically, still not understanding what was going on.

"Duh, he's a unicorn." Brittany and Nigel looked at each other and rolled their eyes.

Rachel was just as confused. "I still don't get it."

"Well of course you wouldn't. You're from through the door. See, unicorns know everything that happens in the magical world. They can feel whenever big magic is performed. Moving between worlds is about as big as it gets. Plus you smell like the other world."

Rachel was amazed. Unicorns were real and this woman could talk to them and apparently they knew everything about magic. It certainly wasn't something she ever would have believed prior to meeting Finn.

Nigel made some more noises and padded the ground with his golden hooves.

"Okay, okay, we'll go. I know Lucinda is out there. I can hear her too," Brittany said to the annoyed unicorn. She turned back to Finn and Rachel. "Nigel can hear Lucinda out there. She's one of the unicorn elders and they need to welcome Nigel to the family so we'll let you two get back to your date." Brittany started leading Nigel out of the stable. "Bye Finn, bye Rachel!" She waved goodbye and left the pair alone in the now silent stable.

Rachel looked at Finn who was running his hand through his hair. "She seems like an interesting person."

"Yeah, she is. She's my oldest friend. Her dad ran the stables for years and once he retired she took over because she's so good with the horses." He felt like he needed to clarify his relationship with her further though. "Rachel, what she said about being 'sometimes lovers'-"

"Finn, it's fine. You're a handsome king who has needs. I get it." She understood how much Finn cared about her now. She wasn't going to let his past relationships get in the way of their budding one.

"Still, I haven't been with her since before she met her husband Artie. I actually haven't been with anyone in a long time," he stated sheepishly, glancing at the straw lying along the wall.

A small smile crossed Rachel's face at Finn's admission. She brushed some hair behind her ear then cleared her throat to speak. "What Brittany said, about us being on a date…? Is this a date?" Rachel looked up to find Finn staring down at her, blushing a little.

"Do you want it to be?" Finn's heart was racing as he waited for Rachel's answer. He _so_ wanted it to be a date because he _so_ wanted her.

Rachel smiled and shook her head. "Yeah, I would like that." She bit her lip cutely making Finn's heart soar.

"Then it's a date." He smiled down at her then beckoned for her to follow him. They walked a few paces before stopping in front of a stall labeled 'Henrietta'. Inside the stall was a beautiful palomino horse. She was lying on the ground resting but when Finn opened the door she stood up and greeted him with happy neighing. He pet her head and whispered hello, asking how she was doing.

"Rachel, this is Henrietta. She's my baby." Finn beamed as he pulled Rachel closer so she could pet the horse. The mare lowered her head and let Rachel stroke her hand over her face.

She smiled as the horse's ears started twitching. "She's beautiful, Finn."

"Yeah, she's my favorite mare. I actually helped Brittany deliver her so she kind of is my baby." He pet her belly then grabbed some carrots from his pocket. While he had Rachel feed her the carrots, Finn grabbed her saddle and went about getting her ready to ride.

When she was set, Finn led Henrietta down the hall toward another stall on the opposite side. He walked inside and seconds later Rachel could hear groans.

"Come on! Rodney! Get your butt out-OW! Rodney! I will pick another horse to ride!" Rachel listened to Finn yelling and curiosity getting the better of her walked over to the open stall and found Finn pushing on a large chestnut horse's rear end with great force but the large beast refused to move. Rachel let out a chuckle as Finn turned to try to shove him with his back and produced the same result. Rodney whinnied as if laughing mockingly at him.

"Rodney! This is not funny. Nigel is a unicorn now so you need to step it up man." Finn had other horses he could ride but Rodney was the one he needed to break. He was a young horse who hated being ridden and determinedly protested wearing a saddle. The only person he ever seemed to listen to was Brittany.

Rodney continued to stand there defiantly until Henrietta poked her head into the stall opening and whinnied at him. Rodney looked back at Finn then at Rachel and Henrietta. He sighed and blew out some air in defeat then finally walked forward out of the stall.

Finn's eyebrows furrowed in wonder at what Henrietta said to Rodney to get him to move. Rodney didn't even complain when Finn put the saddle on him.

"He seems to be singing a different tune now," Rachel commented as she watched Finn get the horse ready to ride.

Finn smiled. "Yeah, I have no idea what Henrietta said to him but I should give her some extra carrots." Henrietta neighed and nodded her head in agreement. Finn returned his attention to Rodney. "Okay Rodney. If you buck me off or try any funny business, no carrots for a week. I'll make sure Brittany doesn't give you any. I swear I will," Finn warned the horse who gave him an eye roll. Then he turned back to Rachel. "Alright, let's get you on Henrietta."

Rachel was suddenly nervous as Finn walked to grab a stool and placed it on the left side of Henrietta. He put out his hand to help Rachel up and over the large horse, being sure her dress wouldn't get in the way. She noticed that Finn's hand lingered on her behind as he made sure she was mounted properly but she didn't really mind. He explained how to sit on her properly and hold the reins correctly while she absorbed everything he was saying. It would be really embarrassing and dangerous if she fell off while riding.

"You good?" he asked, placing his hand on Rachel's leg. His thumb smoothed over it making Rachel's heart beat wildly out of control. She nodded her head down at him. "Good. Just remember, you should get on and off from the left and don't let go of the reins. Henrietta will do most of the work but make sure to pay attention. You'll be fine, this'll be fun."

Rachel gulped. "Okay." They smiled at each other then Finn walked over to Rodney and with great ease swung up onto the behemoth. To make sure she would make it out of the stable alright, Finn let Rachel go first and followed behind pulling up beside her once outside.

"My legs and butt are going to be killing me tomorrow, aren't they?" Rachel asked as they trotted along.

"Yeah, the first time isn't the easiest but it gets better the more you ride."

Though Finn probably didn't mean for that to sound dirty, in Rachel's mind it was. Under normal circumstances Rachel wasn't one to turn things into innuendoes and constantly have sex on the brain but when it came to Finn she thought about jumping his bones nearly every second. When she would close her eyes she could picture him on top of her, pushing into her, making her moan and when her eyes were open there was the challenge of not staring at his butt or his chest or arms or smile or his everything at every opportunity. Rachel could feel herself turning into a sex maniac but honestly, when it came to Finn, she didn't much care.

In an attempt to get sex off the brain Rachel asked where they were headed.

"I thought we could ride into town for a bit. There are a ton of places to shop and eat and get lost in." He shot her a smile that made her heart melt. "Think you'd be able to handle a faster pace."

Rachel looked down at the horse underneath her who was shaking her head. She had a feeling Henrietta wanted to go faster and based on Rodney's similar reaction he wanted to also. "I guess I'll give it a try." With that Henrietta lurched forward into a faster gallop and they were on their way into town.

They only had to pull over twice to keep Rachel from slipping off the saddle on the way and when they got to town, though it had been fun to ride, she was glad to be off the horse as her legs really were beginning to hurt already.

"Riding a horse is a lot more difficult than it seems," she commented as they came up to the equivalent of a parking garage for horses.

"Yeah, but you'll get used to it." Finn swung off of Rodney and walked over to Rachel to help her down. She didn't even have to do much work as he had gripped her around the waist and basically lifted her off Henrietta himself. When he placed her on the ground she stumbled a little but he caught her. She stared up into his eyes and felt a blush gracing her cheeks.

"Well, I should, show you around, I guess," Finn stated awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck.

Rachel nodded in agreement. Finn went to tie Rodney and Henrietta up, giving them carrots for being good while Rachel glanced at her surroundings. The town looked like the one out of _Beauty and the Beast_ or _The Little Mermaid_. It was so old world but not gross old world with dirty citizens and people throwing garbage out of their windows. It was quaint and cozy and the total opposite of everything New York was.

"McKinley is beautiful, Finn. It's so quiet and quaint."

Finn walked up next to Rachel his hand lightly brushing against hers. "Yeah, it's nothing like New York. That place is crazy. McKinley is much less hectic." He looked down at her to see that she was staring at how close their hands were to each other. Carefully, Finn moved his hand so his pinky caught Rachel's, asking for permission and smiled when he felt her whole hand slip into his. She stared up at him and felt the blush creep back into her cheeks.

"So where to first? This is your town so you lead the way," Rachel said as they began walking in the direction of the main thoroughfare.

Finn shrugged as he turned his head to see what was around. Then a certain shop caught his eye. "Well, I did promise you I'd pay you back with a tiara…"

Rachel gasped. "Finn, you don't need to do that. You really don't need to pay me back. It's fine."

He waved her off. "No, I want to. You spent your hard earned money on me and I need to pay you back for that."

"Finn…" Rachel was trying to come up with a way to stop Finn from giving her a freaking tiara but she knew from her experience with him thus far that when Finn put his mind to something, there was no stopping him. She wouldn't even be back here if it hadn't been for his determination.

"Rachel, let me do this for you. Please?" He stared at her pleadingly and Rachel couldn't help but relent.

"Fine. If you insist on showering me with a tiara, I won't stop you. Even though you really do not need to…" she trailed off when she saw the glance Finn gave her. "I would love a tiara Finn, thank you."

"Good. Now let's go get you a tiara."

They walked into the shop and Finn almost immediately regretted it. There were a bunch of noblewomen in the shop staring at all the shiny precious metals and sparkling diamonds, sapphires and rubies. Since most of them had met Finn or at least seen him at the castle before, one of them was bound to realize who he was until the curly haired owner of the shop and personal jeweler of the royal family noticed Finn, eyes widening when he realized the problem, and discreetly pointed to a doorway in the counter where he and Rachel could slip through to hide.

"I'm sorry ladies, but the shop is closing right now. There is an emergency that I must attend to but I will be reopening again later today." All the women whined disappointedly as they would have to wait to decorate themselves in fine jewelry until later but exited the shop when the man corralled them all to leave. "Goodbye ladies. I am sorry. Goodbye!"

When all the women were gone, he locked the door and closed the shutters on the windows. Finn and Rachel popped up from behind the counter as the man walked over to them. "Your Majesty, what an unexpected surprise," the man greeted with a smile to Finn and Rachel. "I must say your Majesty, it's very risky of you to visit unannounced in the middle of the day without a guard."

"I know, but I needed to get away from the castle for a bit and I didn't want an entire posse." He leaned closer to the man. "I'm on a date."

The man's triangular eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Wow your Majesty, that's great to hear. The Queen Mother must be very happy about that."

"She is." Finn smiled then remembered Rachel didn't actually know the man he was talking to. "Oh, Rachel, this is Blaine Anderson. He designs and makes all the jewelry the royal family could ever need. Blaine, this is Rachel Berry, my date."

Rachel stuck her hand out to shake. "It's very nice to meet you Mr. Anderson."

He bent forward, took her hand and kissed the back of it. "The pleasure is mine Miss Berry." Blaine stood up straight once more. "So how can I be of service today, your Majesty?"

Finn looked from Blaine to Rachel then back to Blaine. "I need a very special tiara for a very special woman." Rachel blushed and Blaine knew Finn was talking about her.

"I see. What kind of style are you looking for exactly? Big and flashy or delicate and subtle?"

"Delicate and subtle," Rachel said before Finn could answer. "I don't need anything too over the top." She felt really awkward allowing Finn to get her a tiara and she didn't want to take advantage of it.

"Rachel, you can get whatever you want but I think delicate and subtle would suit you."

"So that leaves me with another question. What kind of stones do you want? I can do basically any stone you want, name it and I can do it." Blaine rubbed his hands together and smiled at them.

"Well, I've always been fond of my birthstone. Could you do blue topaz?"

He smiled at her. "I sure can. You know what looks good on any tiara?"

"What's that?"

"Diamonds."

Rachel's eyes widened and she turned to Finn. "Finn, I really can't allow you to do this. It's too much."

Finn chuckled at her. "Rachel, I'm getting you a tiara whether you like it or not. You might as well get the perfect one that you want." He ran his hands up and down her arms. "Rachel, you deserve to be treated like a princess, so I'm going to treat you like one."

A huge smile crossed her face and she leaned forward to hug Finn tightly. She didn't know why Finn felt the way he did for her but she was beyond happy he did because Rachel was pretty sure she was totally in love with him. Whether he was a peasant or a king, she didn't care; she just wanted to be with him and try to make things work.

Rachel released him and turned back to Blaine. While they discussed gemstones and settings, Finn wandered around the shop looking at all the different jewels. Unlike some of his past family members, his crown collection was small and simple. He didn't care for the flash and didn't need it. Kurt thought he was insane for only having two crowns, one for state affairs and one for private ones as opposed to his mother who practically had a crown for every day of the year, but Finn liked his crowns. They were very Finn with just a simple gold head piece with a few points and his fancier one which had a few jewels inlaid into it which was the one every king wore for his coronation.

He looked down into the case below him and found what appeared to be engagement rings. Finn smiled at the thought of giving a woman one of these on his own someday, specifically giving Rachel one. His mother had always supplied the ring for the women she wanted him to marry but he wanted to be the one to pick out the right one for the woman he would make his wife. It just seemed like that should be the way it happened. After all, he would be the one getting married, not his mother.

"Thinking of finally getting one of these your Majesty?" Blaine asked as he walked up behind the counter.

Finn looked over at Rachel who was examining different styles of tiara with great care. "Yeah, I am actually." He smiled sweetly then turned back to Blaine.

"Look at'choo, the Bachelor King getting' all goofy over a girl finally. Mama must have picked a winner this time."

He chuckled at his friend. "Actually, my mother had nothing to do with Rachel. She found me by total accident and we just clicked instantly. I've never felt this way about a woman before Blaine."

"Me neither…but you know, for different reasons." They both laughed.

"Have you been to see Kurt lately?" Finn asked. He knew that they had a thing going for a while now and though much of the kingdom didn't agree with how they chose to live, Finn didn't really care. It didn't matter to him who they loved as long as they found love. Who was he to judge?

"We had dinner together yesterday. It was very nice and quiet."

"I'm happy for you two. I know how hard it can be to find someone when you're different from everyone else. I'm glad you have each other."

"Thank you, your Majesty. I'm glad we have each other too." Blaine lowered his voice and leaned forward. "And hey, I'm pretty sure that girl over there is totally head over heels for you. I'd be willing to bet if you asked her to marry you soon, she wouldn't be able to say no."

He grinned and clapped Finn on the arm reassuringly then walked back over to Rachel to see if she had come to a decision yet on her tiara.

Shortly after that Finn and Rachel were exiting the shop grinning like fools. Rachel was going to have a tiara within a week and Finn had the perfect engagement ring for Rachel tucked away in his pocket.

After his talk with Blaine, Finn took a more serious look at the rings in the case and found the perfect one for Rachel. While she went to the bathroom, Blaine explained the quality of the ring and diamond to him and he agreed that it would be great for her based off of the selections she had made for her tiara. Blaine had popped it in a box and Finn had quickly smuggled it into his pocket before Rachel had returned. She was none the wiser as they left.

"I still can't believe you're getting me a tiara. I don't even know where or when I could ever wear it."

Finn could think of a few places she could wear it, namely their wedding. "You don't need an excuse to wear it. You could wear it around your house while you sing karaoke or something. You are the karaoke queen after all." He smirked at her as she giggled at him.

They continued walking down the street chatting about McKinley and what it had to offer while they popped in and out of shops. They found a dress shop, where Finn had to hide for a few minutes to keep Sugar Motta and her friend Harmony from finding him and totally exposing him to all the patrons, they stopped at a flower shop where Finn bought a floral tiara for Rachel to wear for the day, there was a perfumer which made Finn sneeze at least a dozen times but they both came out smelling fantastic and for Finn's enjoyment they stopped at the swordsmith who also had recognized him and closed up shop for their time visiting. They chatted about Finn's latest joust which he won and Rachel's eyes lit up at the tale.

"Nigel and I were ready to kill Lord Karofsky. I had knocked him off his horse fair and square but he came at us with his sword and it was lucky that Nigel was so quick to notice him otherwise I think he would have sliced my arm off. That guy has a temper problem he really needs to work on."

"Yeah, he breaks swords constantly which is saying something because my work ain't easy to break," the large woman said to Finn shaking her head. "The Panther's seal means quality and quality means durability. I dunno what that boy does to break my steel. So your Majesty, is that why you're here, to pick up a new sword?"

"Actually Beiste, I'm showing my date Rachel around McKinley. She's new to the area so I thought it would be a good idea."

"Oh, you're on a date, huh? Well, good for you. I've met some of those women the Queen Mother has tried to set you up with and no offence to you, your mother or those women, but I couldn't see them as the future Queen of McKinley. They all lacked the presence I think a queen should have, mostly decorum in social situations and more importantly your respect." Beiste chucked his chin like she did when he was a little boy and had done well in a practice sword match. She turned to Rachel. "If you're on a date with this potato head that must mean you're something special. I've known the kid since he was a baby and he's never taken anyone on a date. I may have seen him with girls but they could hardly be considered dates."

Finn's face grew red in embarrassment. "You realize who you're talking to right? I could put you in the stocks for calling me a potato head," he joked with her.

"Pft, please. You would never put me in the stocks and you know it. I'd kick your backside all up and down this street if you tried." She patted him on the back. "I'm sorry to cut our conversation short your Majesty, but I have a few orders I really need to fill by the end of the day and I could get away with not doing 'em if I could say the King was taking up my time but I'm guessing you don't want anyone to know you're out today."

He shook his head. "Yeah, please don't tell anyone I'm out. I don't need a mob scene all over me today. We'll let you get back to work. Thanks for letting us drop by."

"Anytime your Majesty, you know that." She waved goodbye to them as they walked out of the shop.

Rachel glanced up at him. "You're something else, you know that?"

"What do you mean?" Finn asked scrunching his eyebrows together in worry.

"I mean, you're the King but you don't act like one at all when it comes to your people. You treat everyone as equals and allow them to talk to you like friends instead of inferiors. It's nice. In my world, most monarchs throughout history would have people punished dearly for speaking so freely to them."

Finn shrugged. "I try not to take myself too seriously and I've noticed that when I'm more open with people and treat them like friends, they feel more comfortable with me and don't want to kick my ass off the throne." He laughed at himself. "That doesn't mean I won't put them in line when necessary though. Unlike my Aunt Sue, I'd rather be loved than feared."

This perked Rachel's interest even more. "Kurt said your Aunt Sue has tried to kill you before. Why would she do that?"

"Power. She wants the throne and feels she deserves it more than me because she was my dad's older sister and I was still young when he died but she's freaking insane and would completely destroy all the good in this world if allowed to rule. I've never met a scarier woman in my life and I've met a lot of people. No one could ever prove it but it's rumored that she's killed every one of her husband's and my grandmother. She was the first reason we thought my dad was dying but the doctor confirmed that it was just pneumonia that killed him. If Sue ever gained power, the whole universe would be doomed."

"She sounds like a scary woman."

"She really is. I hope you never meet her." Finn took Rachel's hand again. "Let's talk about something else. You know about my family, what about yours?"

"I don't have a very big family, just my dads Hiram and Leroy. I don't know who my birth mother is. She gave me up to my dads and they've never seen her since."

Finn noted the hint of sadness in her voice. "That sucks. Have you ever thought about trying to find her?"

"It's crossed my mind but I don't need to find her. I've spent 23 years without her and my dads love me so much. I don't need a mom."

"You're welcome to share mine if you ever feel like you need a motherly figure to talk to," Finn smirked down at her.

She smiled back at him. "That's sweet of you. Your mother seems lovely."

"She's a good mom. The best I've ever had." They both laughed and Rachel tucked some hair behind her ear.

"So there's never been anyone special in your life?" he asked, wondering if what Rocco had said about her never having a boyfriend was accurate.

"Oh you mean like my own version of Brittany?" She bit her lip and smiled but her face fell almost as quickly. "No, I've never been in a relationship. I've never even had friends really. Like I said, my personality turns people off."

"See, that doesn't make sense to me. You seem perfect but you say no one likes you. I just don't get it."

Rachel laughed without humor. "I'm not perfect by any means. I talk too much, I'm a bit of a diva, my nose is too big and my boobs are too small-"

"Don't," Finn cut in. He stopped their walking and turned her to face him head on. "You're perfect Rachel. Maybe you have flaws but we all do. That doesn't make you any less perfect to me."

She blushed deeply and turned back to continue walking, Finn following suit beside her. "Anyway, I've never been in a relationship. There's never been anyone special to me that way. Honestly," she didn't know what possessed her to say it but she felt the need to get it off her chest now, "I've never even been intimate with anyone before. Physically I mean." She shyly looked up at Finn who was trying very hard not to burst out into a huge grin.

Finn could be her first! He had never been anyone's first and the thought honestly turned him on. "Why not?" he asked in a serious tone, trying not to seem too eager.

"I wanted it to be special, my first time. I wanted it to be with the man I loved, not some random drunken hook up or something. I was waiting for my Prince Charming to come and sweep me off my feet, but he never came." She looked down at the ground and wrung her hands together.

Finn had been right to stop them the night before. Now he stopped them again to lift her chin so she would look at him. "You know, I was a prince once and I'm pretty charming…"

She bit her lip and could feel herself going weak in the knees as Finn leaned in closer, closing his eyes, getting ready to kiss her. His lips just touched hers when they could hear a woman calling his name. He pulled away quickly and looked around for the source of the calling finding Brittany wildly waving at him from the entrance of the pub not too far down from where they were standing.

He grabbed Rachel's hand and pulled her down the street quickly until he reached Brittany who finally stopped calling his name. "Brittany! What are you doing?" he hissed at her.

"I was trying to get your attention."

"By screaming my name in the middle of a crowded street? You know I'm not supposed to be out without a guard and you could have alerted everyone to me being here."

Brittany rolled her eyes. "No one even noticed. Now come on! Artie wants to meet Rachel and he hasn't seen you in weeks. We're going to have dinner together no matter what you say." She gripped Finn's hand and dragged him into the crowded pub, Rachel being pulled along behind by Finn.

They stumbled forward to the back of the pub where it was quieter and more secluded. Artie was seated and drinking some beer when he noticed Brittany pulling Finn and what must have been Rachel behind her. "Hey Brittany, where'd you find Finn?"

"He and Rachel were wandering around down the street. I saw them and knew they had to come to dinner with us since you wanted to meet Rachel and haven't hung out with Finn lately." Brittany sat down next to Artie's wheelchair and he took her hand and kissed the back of it.

"That was sweet of you Brit. Thanks." She smiled and leaned over to kiss him as Finn pulled a chair out for Rachel to sit in then sat next to her.

Artie turned to Rachel and smiled. "You must be Rachel who Brittany has been telling me about nonstop since she got home this afternoon. It's nice to meet you," he said sticking his hand out for her to shake.

"It's nice to meet you too."

Just then their waitress came over to get their order. "Hey Artie, Brittany! It's good to see you guys here again," she said in greeting before turning to Finn and Rachel.

"Oh my gosh, are you…" the woman leaned closer to whisper, "Are you the King?" Finn shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "I swear I won't tell anyone! I'm good at keeping secrets." Finn nodded silently. "Your Majesty it is such an honor to meet you. My name is Tina Cohen-Chang and I will make sure you get the best service on this side of the kingdom on the house."

The woman quickly took their orders and the small group began chatting amicably about what Finn and Rachel had been up to all day. It was only a few minutes later that Tina brought their food to them.

"Wow, that was fast," Finn commented. Usually food took more than five minutes to make it to the table.

"I told you you'd get the best service on this side of McKinley. If you need anything I'll be around. Have a good meal." Tina disappeared and the group started eating vigorously.

Rachel wasn't sure if everything was entirely vegan but she did manage to get a meatless dish that was actually quite delicious. Once they were done eating Artie started the conversation back up.

"So Brittany tells me you came through the door," he stated bluntly. "I'm not entirely sure what that means but she seemed pretty excited about it."

Brittany sighed. "Artie, I told you. The door is the way to get from our world to her world."

"Yes dear, I get that. I just have no idea where or what the door is exactly." Brittany's face scrunched at her husband's words when she realized she didn't really know either.

"The door is in my bedroom. It's my old coat cabinet actually. And the one on Rachel's side is her boss's magicians cabinet. They practically identical," Finn explained.

"Ohhh, it's in your bedroom, huh?" Brittany said, quirking her eyebrows and smirking at them.

Finn and Rachel both pinked slightly before she spoke. "I didn't mean to find it, it just happened. I noticed there was a light in the back of the cabinet and I tried to ignore it but Finn opened the door and found me."

"But then she left, then came back, then left again and I followed her and spent two days in New York and it was all pretty epic," Finn said with a grin to Rachel.

Artie looked confused. "But you haven't been gone for two days…"

"Yeah, I think time freezes or something when you leave because we came back from the point I left at." Finn shrugged not really knowing.

"Time doesn't freeze," Brittany said matter-of-factly. The rest of them waited for her to elaborate.

"Um, how do you know that?" Finn asked when she didn't go on.

"Nigel told me. He said that when you guys went through the door the unicorns could all feel it but then went about their day."

Rachel drew her eyebrows together. "But you come back to the exact moment you left."

Brittany shook her head. "Yeah, you do."

"Brittany, why don't you tell us everything you know about the door. That would be easier than us having to ask the right questions to get an answer," Artie suggested.

"Okay. According to Nigel there are a bunch of doors from this world to others. No one knows exactly where they are though because they can move. When a person goes through the door a large burst of magic can be felt by creatures sensitive enough to feel it. Unicorns are some of the most powerful magical creatures around so they can always feel it. The reason you come back to the exact moment you left from is because that's the point in time you're supposed to be in. Time can keep moving though if you don't come back because it's not going to wait for you. So you can be born in one world, move to another world and live your entire life out then go back to the other world as if nothing happened while you were away."

Finn nodded contemplatively. "Would you be old when you got back?"

"Nope. You'd be the same age you were when you left. So you could live out two lives if you wanted to. If you came back to the world you weren't originally from though you won't go back to the old age. You really gotta be sure you want to leave."

"What if you keep going back and forth?" Rachel asked with interest.

"That's a good question. No one knows. Not even the unicorns because no one's ever done it before. People don't move between worlds very much but I bet it's not easy. That's a lot of magic."

Finn looked at Rachel who looked concerned. He knew that her wheels were turning at all the information Brittany had just given them about the door and he was a little worried that it was going to make her want to rethink being with him.

Before he could ask her what she was thinking, a sudden loud squeal caught their attention and Finn's eyes widened in horror when he realized Sugar and Harmony had spotted him. They were going to throw themselves all over him and create a scene if he couldn't get away right now.

He stood up swiftly, knocking the chair over and startling Rachel. "We have to go NOW!" he yelled out, yanking Rachel to her feet. "Brittany, Artie, nice seeing you but we gotta leave. Bye guys!"

Without another word or further explanation Finn whisked Rachel out through the pub's back door, Sugar and Harmony squealing at him to stop and come back behind them.


	9. Caught Up in the Storm

I seem to have gotten over the minor writer's block I had for this story hence the next update already. :) Enjoy!

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><p>A feral scream ripped from the girl's throat as she threw the looking glass across the room shattering it into a million pieces. As if Sue wouldn't be mad enough that Quinn couldn't think of a way to sway Finn's affections in her direction, plus add the fact she just destroyed the link into Finn's life Sue had provided her with. At that moment she almost didn't even care, almost.<p>

They had been watching Finn for the better part of the day interacting with Rachel, taking her on a _date_, being all cute with her, buying her a freaking _engagement_ ring, nearly kissing her on the street. All they had learned was where she came from, which could only prove helpful if they figured out some way to send her back and make her stay there while Finn stayed in McKinley, and that chances were she wouldn't be leaving since it was so clear Finn was bent on making her his wife. Quinn could tell that Rachel was absolutely smitten with the young king as well and she would be a fool not to say yes.

"Sue is going to expose us and we are going to rot in a cell forever." Quinn paced around, her mother staring at her, thinking. "What does he see in that tart? She isn't anything special! Certainly not worthy of the crown yet he's completely infatuated with her! He bought her a tiara and more importantly an _engagement_ ring. How am I supposed to compete with her if he won't even let me try?" Her mother remained silent. "That wasn't a rhetorical question. I seriously need answers here, Mother."

Suddenly it appeared as if a fire had begun in her mother's brain.

"I think I may have one." Quinn's brow furrowed at her mother. "Maybe _you_ can't marry Finn, but this Rachel girl can."

Quinn glared at her mother. "That is precisely the problem, Mother! I don't see how that is a helpful suggestion."

"We need to see the Witch."

Quinn looked pensive yet skeptical. "Why? You know Sue only uses her..._services_ in dire times."

"This is a dire time, wouldn't you agree?"

Quinn sighed. "Fine, we'll see the Witch. Now can you please explain why we must see her?"

"In good time my darling, in good time." Lady Fabray cupped her daughter's face and smiled at her.

In town, Finn and Rachel were out of breath by the time they made it back to the stable where they had left Rodney and Henrietta. They had run the entire way using back routes to avoid Sugar, Harmony and anyone else who might potentially recognize Finn making the journey longer than necessary.

"Do you think we lost them?" Rachel asked, panting wildly and trying to ease the stitch in her side.

Finn let out a low breath. "I think so. I haven't heard their screeching in a while."

"You're like a celebrity." Rachel smiled at him, eyes wide and shining.

"They only want me for my crown." He chuckled and led them over to where Rodney and Henrietta were lying down. "You two ready to go?"

Rodney practically leapt to his hooves, nodding his head and neighing wildly. Henrietta was a little less eager about it but she nodded in agreement.

Finn took their reigns and led them out of the stable. He helped Rachel onto Henrietta then hopped onto the irritable Rodney. They trotted out of town and just as they made it to the split in the road which would lead them back to the castle, Finn could feel rain drops on his face. He looked up into the darkening sky to see large clouds rolling in fast. Seconds later a downpour started almost instantly drenching him and Rachel. Then lightning lit up the sky and thunder cracked loudly over head, shaking the horses and causing Rodney to rear up in fright. Luckily for Rachel, Henrietta didn't scare as easily and remained relatively calm.

"Follow me!" Finn yelled over the sound of the sudden downpour. He took the road leading in the opposite direction to the castle. He knew if he didn't get Rodney out of the weather soon, he was going to end up flung in the mud and the castle was just too far. They rode as quickly as Rachel could without falling off until Finn spotted the structure he was searching for. There was a large barn off the road that belonged to Farmer Evans which Finn knew he wouldn't mind if they spent the night in.

As they pulled up to the door of the barn, Finn hopped off Rodney and pulled it open against the wind. He shuffled Rachel, Henrietta and Rodney inside then followed behind slamming the door shut.

It was pitch black inside and Rachel was scared. She hated storms ever since she was in 8th grade and ended up home alone during a tornado in Lima. That had been the scariest moment of her life as it sounded like a train was going through the house and she was in her basement bathtub crying and screaming, praying to God she wouldn't die. Ever since the incident she couldn't stand the sound of thunder and heavy rain.

She could hear the horses shuffling and neighing and the sounds of scratching coming from her left. She turned in their direction and a few seconds later, Finn's face was illuminated by a lantern. He looked spooky as the shadows cast from the flames danced on his skin.

"Are you okay?" he asked her, walking toward her to make sure she wasn't hurt or anything, shaking some excess water off himself.

She shook her head. "Just a little scared. I hate storms, especially when I'm stuck in the dark."

Finn nodded. "Wait right here. I'll be right back, I promise."

She watched Finn walk further into the barn with the lantern, stopping momentarily. Then a second lantern lit up. Finn circled the barn lighting every lantern in the place to get as much light as possible before returning to Rachel. She smiled appreciatively.

"Thank you," she said quietly.

He gave her a small smile. "I'm just going to put Rodney and Henrietta in some of the stalls to keep them from running around and knocking things over." He walked over to the horses that were still panicked at the sounds of the storm and with minor difficulty led them over to the small stalls. They weren't as nice as their usual ones but they'd do for now.

Rachel looked at her surroundings. There were tools lining the walls and hay everywhere. It seemed like the barn belonged to someone and she knew they shouldn't trespass and use their things but she was grateful the barn was there and so close by. They never would have made it back to the castle in that storm which seemed to be raging even worse outside.

Another crack of thunder startled Rachel and she held in a scream. She could hear Rodney whinny again but then the calming sounds of Finn's voice. Needing some comfort herself, Rachel ran in the direction Finn had gone and found him gently stroking Rodney's body. He was working on taking his saddle off to relax him more when he noticed Rachel at the door.

"Do you think you could maybe keep him company while I take Henrietta's saddle off?" he asked once done with Rodney's. She simply shook her head and walked over to the horse apprehensively.

His eyes were wide with terror but he seemed to be keeping it together for now. Rachel lightly stroked her hand over his face. "It's okay, Rodney. You're okay. You're inside where it's dry and lit up and warm. There's nothing to be scared off."

Another jarring clap of thunder sounded sending Rodney into a frenzy again. Rachel stepped back to keep from being trampled and tried to calm him down with her words. When that failed she tried the next thing she could think of, she sang.

"Somewhere over the rainbow, way up high, there's a land that I heard of once in a lullaby." Rodney immediately settled and stood still, his ears twitching as he listened to Rachel sing. She sang more and Rodney started to sway on his feet before his legs gave way and he collapsed to the ground sleepily. He zonked out almost as soon as he hit the floor and Rachel couldn't help the grin that crossed her face. She continued singing as she backed out of the stall but was abruptly stopped as her back hit a hard surface. She turned around and found Finn behind her smiling down cheerily.

He put his finger over his mouth signaling her to be quiet and backed them out of the stall enough to get to the door closed. Neither spoke again until Finn had led her up some small stairs to a loft with a small mattress on the floor and a table with a lantern on it. There were some blankets and pillows there too.

"It's not the greatest but, it's better than the floor. This storm probably won't let up enough for us to get back to the castle until tomorrow so..." He rubbed the back of his neck nervously.

"The bed looks pretty small," Rachel commented.

"I can sleep on the floor, I mean it's not-"

"I guess that means you'll just have to hold me closer," Rachel said cutting Finn off. He smiled widely at her statement.

He stepped closer to her and placed his hands around her neck, pulling her forward to kiss her. Incredible was the only way to describe how Finn felt when he pressed his lips against hers. It was like she was the other half of him he'd never realized he'd been missing. He knew love was something special and he had always known he wanted it but he never thought it would feel anything like this, like he'd cease to exist without her and he'd float away from the world if their tether was ever severed. She meant more to him than anything and he would do anything to make her see that.

Rachel's mind raced as she kissed Finn passionately, letting him pull her closer and run his hands down her back to cup her behind. She couldn't believe it had only been three days that they had known each other. It felt like they had been together for eternity and had a bond that could never be broken. It honestly scared her how strongly she felt for Finn after such a short amount of time. Rachel had never felt this way about anyone ever. If she had to admit it, Rachel didn't even feel as strongly about Broadway as she felt about Finn and that was saying something because she had been certain for so many years that Broadway was her true soulmate.

Soulmate. Was that what Finn was? Was that why it seemed like they were made for each other in nearly every sense of the phrase? But if they were soulmates, why were they from separate worlds? That hardly seemed fair.

Finn pulled away from Rachel when his lungs began to burn in need of air. He stared into Rachel's chocolate eyes trying to collect his thoughts, only one on his mind. "I love you," he blurted out.

Those three little yet huge words hung in the silent air. Finn's breath held as he waited for Rachel to respond in some capacity. She only stared blankly at him as thunder rolled overhead.

_I love you_ he said. _I love you_. Rachel may not have a clue as to what would happen tomorrow or further down the line but in that moment she didn't need to. All she needed to know was that she loved Finn too and that was the God's honest truth and it was the only thing that mattered.

"I love you too." Rachel bit her lip shyly before her face broke out into a huge grin. "I love you too, Finn. I know I've fought you on it so much but I'm not fighting anymore. I love you and I-"

Before she could say another word, Finn pulled Rachel to him for another searing kiss and this time picked her up and carried her to the little bed. He lowered her onto it, pressing her down into the mattress, lips still attached and frantically moving against each other.

It was actually happening. Rachel was finally getting swept off her feet by Prince, or King as it were, Charming and she was going to make love and be made love to.

She could feel Finn's hands running over her body until they made it to her back where the ties of her dress were. She arched her back so he could better reach them and he pulled them undone. The fabric loosened around Rachel's body and she began pulling it from her chest.

Finn's hand came to rest over hers. "Can I...?" he asked hesitantly.

Rachel wet her lips and nodded her head. A small smile graced his face as he stared down at her. Rachel pulled her hand out from under Finn's and placed it back over his. Together they slowly moved the fabric of her dress down her body revealing her pert round breasts.

Finn's smile widened and he leaned his head down to kiss Rachel's creamy smooth skin. Slowly, he kissed his way to her dark nipple which he took in his mouth. Rachel's body arched into his and she entwined her fingers in Finn's hair, holding him as close to her as she possibly could.

Her heart beat furiously in her chest as Finn sucked on her skin, pulling the dress further down her body to reveal more of her tanned flesh which he wish to ravish with every piece of his being. His hand found her other breast and gently massaged it making her mewl. Her fingers found his and she held his hand tightly.

"Make love to me, Finn," Rachel breathed out. Finn lifted his head and looked down at her lovingly.

He sat up and Rachel propped herself up on her elbows. Finn took his vest off and pulled his shirt over his head. He tossed the damp garments to the side as Rachel began pushing her own still wet dress further down her body. Finn stopped his own motions as he watched her peel the sleeves down her arms and shimmy out of the thing. Though she had changed out of her world's clothes she had left on her cute underwear which were covered in little butterflies. Finn smiled at her, in love with everything about her.

"What?" she asked cautiously concerned that something was wrong.

"You really are perfect," he replied softly.

Rachel pinked and Finn placed his hands at her hips. He ran his fingers along the waist of her panties and slowly removed them from her body. Rachel gulped and blushed even deeper. She had never been more exposed in her life and it was a little nerve-wracking. This was everything she wanted but that didn't mean it wasn't scary as all hell.

Finn placed his hands on Rachel's knees which were bent up on either side of him and smoothed them down her legs, moving to her inner thighs. He tentatively ran his hand over Rachel's mound, feeling the wetness pooling there. Rachel's body shuddered under his touch.

The sight of the naked woman that he loved below him had made Finn extremely hard and he was more than ready to make love to her. "You're sure you're okay with this?" he asked, hoping the answer would be yes but not going to complain or force her if it were no.

"Finn, I love you and I'm ready." Though their future was wholly uncertain, there was nothing more she wanted in that moment and if she didn't take it, Rachel knew it would be the biggest regret of her life.

Finn leaned down to tenderly kiss her once more. "I love you, Rachel," he mumbled against her lips as his forehead pressed against hers. He sat back up and undid his pants pushing them down and off. He watched Rachel's eyes widen and could hear the gulp she made.

Rachel was paralyzed by the sight of Finn's completely naked form. Sure she had seen him by accident in the bathroom for a few seconds but the circumstances were completely different. They weren't about ten seconds away from Rachel giving her virginity to Finn and he hadn't had a raging erection at the time either.

"Rachel, are you okay?" Finn asked worriedly. He had never had this problem before and he wasn't entirely sure how to handle it. He'd never been anyone's first and the women he had been with didn't mean as much to him. Finn wanted this to be perfect for Rachel but he was afraid he was already messing it up.

She shook her head quickly. "I'm fine. Just nervous." She looked into Finn's eyes. "I'm ready though. Really."

Rachel gripped Finn's hand and brought it to her lips to kiss it. A grin crossed his face and he settled himself over Rachel comfortably between her legs. She held onto his shoulders, feeling his tip sliding up and down her entrance. Finn asked her if she was ready and she nodded her consent.

Finn pushed into her and Rachel cried out, from pleasure or from pain she wasn't sure, and she lifted her legs to grip Finn's hips. He brushed some hair out of Rachel's face and leaned down to kiss her. "Do I need to stop? Is it okay?"

"Keep going, I want you to keep going." She pulled his head back to hers and kissed him more as he began a slow rhythmic pumping in and out. Rachel wrapped her legs around his waist, pressing her heels into the backs of his legs to get him even closer.

She would be lying if she said it didn't hurt, but at the same time having Finn inside her felt unbelievably amazing too. It wasn't just the physical part either. Making love to Finn was like taking his soul into her body and keeping him there forever, never letting go for anything. She needed more of him and all of him and anything less just wouldn't do. Finn was the piece in her life that had been missing, the void she had was filled and she had never felt more at peace with life while wrapped in his arms.

Finn couldn't believe how different this sex was from past experiences. It wasn't even sex, it wasn't even making love; it was so much more than any of that. Being with Rachel was like finally coming home after being lost in the world for years on end. She made him feel like he had never even been with another woman. His body and soul tingled and buzzed as he thrust in and out of her, enjoying how tight she was, feeling her body pressing against his, hearing her breathy moans in his ear as he sucked on her neck and shoulder.

"Oh, Finn," she whined into his ear again, clawing at his upper back to keep him closer than close.

He wrapped his arms around her body and pulled them both upright. Rachel looked down at him, surprised at the sudden change of position, but didn't stop writhing against him. She ran her hands down his arms to bring his hands up to caress her breasts. He kissed her neck more, sucking harder than before, wanting, _needing_ to mark her as his. Finn lightly bit her earning a moan of gratitude. Once he was sure his mark had been placed, Finn returned his lips to Rachel's once more. His hands roamed her body in an attempt to memorize every little bit until they found the tiny nub that would push her over the edge. Rachel whined even louder as Finn's thumb rubbed over her bundle of nerves making her finally lose control and come into bliss.

Rachel's orgasm sent Finn falling after her. He grunted in pleasure as he spilled into Rachel, coming harder than he ever had in his life. Their bodies shuddered from the exertion and they were covered in sticky sweet sweat, breathing completely erratic and hearts beating louder and more out of control than the storm violently swirling around them outside.

She pressed her dewy forehead to Finn's and breathed him in as she softly rubbed her nose against his. Their eyes were closed, their minds were clear and their hearts were filled with nothing but love as they sat holding one another in post-coital ecstasy.

"Saving myself for you was totally worth the wait," Rachel commented a few minutes later, finally breaking the silence.

Finn chuckled. "So I didn't mess it up?"

"Quite the opposite." She pressed her lips to Finn's once more. He pressed her back down on the bed and grabbed a blanket to throw over them as he laid next to her on his side, turning her to face him and wrapping her in his arms. Finn kissed his way from the valley between Rachel's breasts up to her cheek. "That was the most erotic experience of my life. No wonder everyone is _always_ looking for sex or thinking about sex or talking about sex. Sex is amazing."

"That wasn't even sex. That was something entirely new that needs its own category." Finn kissed her swollen lips once more. "Rachel, I've never felt like this about anyone before. Not Brittany, not Quinn, not anyone. I want you, need you, to know that."

Rachel played with Finn's hair as she spoke. "I do know now, and I feel the same way Finn. I can't explain it but I feel like… I just love you." Rachel really couldn't explain how she felt about Finn because there were no words to describe it. Everything that came to mind seemed entirely too insignificant.

A loud crack of thunder rattled the barn and Rachel shied into Finn more. "I hate thunder so much."

"Why's that?" he asked with true curiosity.

"I survived a tornado by myself when I was 13 years old and it was the single scariest moment of my life." Rachel proceeded to tell the tale of the Lima Tornado to which Finn was enraptured.

They traded stories back and forth about their lives, learning the small details about each other they hadn't yet had a chance to discuss. After a while the conversation thinned as they grew sleepy until it finally ceased completely when Rachel fell asleep. Finn brushed his fingers through her hair, watching her sleep, thinking she was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.

"I really do love you, Rachel. More than you even know." His mind wandered to the engagement ring sitting in his pocket.

Finn couldn't tear his eyes from her face while she slept as he kept thinking about how to approach asking her not to leave him and to stay and become his wife. He knew it had only been three days but three days or three years, it didn't matter. He loved Rachel and Rachel loved him; _that_ was all that mattered.

If only love could be enough.


	10. The Crystal Lake

"Good morning," a sing-song voice said into his ear as his eyes opened to the barn around him. Finn smiled when he remembered why he was in the barn to begin with and what happened in the barn.

Finn rolled over and looked at the beauty lying next to him wearing nothing but a gorgeous smile just for him. "Good morning? More like greatest morning ever."

Rachel giggled and pulled Finn in for a kiss making his heart beat his blood southward at an incredibly fast pace. She ground her body against his when she could feel how happy she was making him against her leg forcing a groan from his mouth.

"If you're gonna do that, you better follow through," he mumbled into her mouth with a playful smirk.

"Oh I plan on it." Rachel rolled Finn onto his back and sat up whipping her messy sex hair behind her. She teasingly rubbed herself against Finn as he stared at her glorious boobs.

"You are trying to kill me aren't you?"

Rachel smiled devilishly at him. "Of course not. How could I do this," she lifted herself and sank down on Finn's shaft, whining in self-indulgence, "if you were dead?"

Almost too slow for Finn's eager libido, Rachel rocked her hips back and forth taking him inside her repeatedly. She leaned forward to plant a mind-numbing kiss on him and allowed him to flip them over. His thrusts into her were slow and drawn out, making her beg for more.

"Finn, faster please," she cried out as she clutched the pillow her head was on tightly. Finn obliged and began moving faster and harder into her making her moans louder and more pronounced. She closed her eyes and let the sexual delirium wash over her.

"Holy crap!" a male voice Rachel had never heard before yelled out from her right. Her eyes shot open and she screamed a little when she saw a blonde head poking out of the entrance of the stairs.

Finn whipped his head around when he realized Rachel wasn't screaming because of anything he was doing and immediately went into defensive mode. He made sure Rachel was covered as he sat up and turned to deal with the intruder.

"What the hell are you doing in my barn?" the blonde man yelled at them. Then his eyes widened when he saw who exactly he was yelling at. "Your Majesty! I'm s-sorry. I had no idea it was you!" The man averted his eyes from the naked lovers and bowed his head before going back down the staircase.

Finn turned to Rachel, who he just realized was tightly holding his body to hers. He pried her fingers from his arms and held her hands in his. "Are you okay?" he asked, bringing her hands up to kiss them reassuringly.

She nodded her assent. "Mhm, just a little shaken that we were walked in on."

"Yeah, he had bad timing. We should probably get dressed and get out of here. I can guarantee you that no one will bother us back at the castle." He waggled his eyebrows at her before taking her face in his hands and giving her a chaste kiss.

Finn reluctantly tore himself away from Rachel and searched for their clothes only finding his pants and vest and Rachel's dress. They threw on what they had and hastily made their way downstairs.

"I don't care, Sam. This is our barn! People shouldn't be just - oh, your Majesty! I didn't realize it was you upstairs," a larger black woman stated when she saw it was Finn who traipsed down from the loft guiltily. "I just heard noises up there and thought it was some thieves or something. I would never have sent Sam up there if I had known..."

Finn put his hand out to stop her. "It's alright Mercedes. We really need to get back to the castle anyway. Thank you for letting us stay here last night even if you didn't know about it. I'll be sure to make it up to you."

"Oh, it's no problem, your Majesty. Anytime. Actually, would you like to stay for breakfast?" She smiled at them. "I made a ton of food since my brother and his kids are coming over later. Oh and we found your shirt and whatever these are on the ground this morning." Mercedes held out Finn's missing shirt and Rachel's panties for them to take. Rachel, feeling totally embarrassed, ripped her underwear from Mercedes' grip and hid them behind her back until she could get somewhere private to put them on.

Finn looked at Rachel. "Do you want to stay for breakfast?"

"As long as we aren't imposing?" Rachel shrugged and looked at the couple opposite them. She only now realized how incredibly hungry she was.

"You wouldn't be imposing. You're more than welcome to join us," Sam said.

"Okay, breakfast would be great," Finn replied to their hosts. Rachel and Finn followed Sam and Mercedes out of the barn and into their adorable little cottage home. They walked in and found a large spread of food all over their cute little kitchen.

"Wow, that's a _lot_ of food," Rachel commented.

"I enjoy cooking. Keeps me busy and popular among the town," Mercedes responded as she offered Rachel a plate.

"Mercedes works at the pub in town. She makes the best chili." Sam leaned down to give her a kiss before he pulled the chair out for her to sit down.

Finn did the same for Rachel and they all started eating. Sam looked at Finn and Rachel who were sitting very close to each other. Finn's hand was below the table on Rachel's knee and she smiled at him as she twined her fingers with his.

"So your Majesty, if you don't mind my asking…why did you need to spend the night in my barn? You live in the nicest place in the entire kingdom," Sam asked between bites.

"I was showing Rachel around because she's new to town and we got caught in the storm on the way back to the castle. I knew your barn was close by and I didn't think you'd mind."

"Oh yeah, no problem. I was just surprised when I found you. But you're welcome here anytime, your Majesty."

The small group talked jovially throughout breakfast and Mercedes and Sam let Finn and Rachel clean up a little before they said their goodbyes. They walked out to the barn and Finn took Rachel's hand and led them over toward where they had left Rodney and Henrietta for the night. Except when they got there, neither horse was in their stall. "Um, where did they go?"

Rachel was just as perplexed as Finn. She hadn't seen Rodney or Henrietta leave but she also hadn't been paying much attention to anything other than Finn then they went to breakfast. Finn left Rachel by the stall momentarily to ask Sam and Mercedes if either of them had seen their horses. When he returned he looked annoyed.

"Where'd they go?" Rachel asked.

"Sam didn't know whose horses they were so he let them out and they ran off. They definitely aren't getting extra carrots now."

"Will they be okay roaming around on their own?" Rachel asked with concern.

"Oh yeah, they'll be fine. They know how to get back to the castle. They were probably starving and couldn't wait for Brittany to feed them. Doesn't help us though."

Rachel smiled. "Well we can just walk back. I can see more of the natural beauty of McKinley that way." Rachel clasped her hands together and swayed a little.

"That's a good idea, Rach. Actually..." Finn trailed off in thought. "Let's go."

Rachel took Finn's hand and let him lead her toward the exit. "So what thought did you just have?" Rachel asked Finn, narrowing her eyes suspiciously at him as they walked in the direction that would lead them back to the castle.

He just grinned down at her. "You'll see when we get there."

"My interest is quite piqued, your Majesty." Rachel giggled as she slipped her hand into Finn's and leaned her head against his shoulder.

They walked along in peaceful silence until Finn led them over to a small overgrown pathway Rachel would never have noticed if Finn hadn't pointed it out. "Seriously Finn, where are we going?"

"Can't I just surprise you? Believe me, you're gonna love it," he crowed of their secret destination.

"How do you know about this place?" Finn moved some branches out of the way so they could step through to where the path was fully cleared.

"I found it when I was a kid and wandered off castle grounds and got lost. I've been going there ever since whenever I need to get away from the castle for a while. It's a really nice place to sit and think. Very few people know about it."

"Do the unicorns know about it?" Rachel chuckled a bit. She still couldn't believe there were unicorns in McKinley.

"They do actually since the water there is full of magical qualities...or so Brittany says. I've never had any magical experiences while there. The unicorns usually avoid it whenever humans are around though."

They walked a long a little ways and Finn started to get even more excited as they got closer. "How much further is it?" Rachel asked curiously.

"We're nearly there. I can hear the water."

A few hundred yards away beyond a grouping of large willow trees Rachel could hear the water too. Finn's face lit up as he pulled back the long vine-like branches of one of the willows and let Rachel go forward first. They moved through the shadows until they got to the other side where Rachel took it upon herself to draw back the branches and gasped at the utter beauty she saw on the other side.

"Oh my...Finn this is beautiful." Rachel's mouth and eyes were wide open in awe as she spun around taking everything in. It was like something out of a dream. There was a small sandy white shore that turned into a small crystal clear lake. On the far side of the water was a large rock face with the biggest willow tree Rachel had ever seen growing out of it over the water and a little waterfall spilling around both sides of the tree. When she looked closer she could see there was a cave beyond the water.

"I can see why you come here all the time."

Finn shrugged and rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah, it's my favorite place in McKinley."

He watched Rachel walk forward and remove her shoes. She dunked her toes into the water and was surprised at how warm it was.

She turned her head back to look at Finn. "Is the water always this warm?"

"Yeah, even in the winter. I like to come here to swim."

Rachel turned back around and started pulling her dress up over her head. Finn gulped as she removed the garment and threw it back onto the beach. She stood there in only her panties and shyly looked back at Finn when she realized it would be the first time he'd _really_ see her fully naked in the light. She smiled softly at him as she pushed her panties down her body revealing her backside in its entirety. Slowly she turned around and it was practically comical how fast Finn developed a boner.

"Would you care to join me for a swim?" she asked sweetly, stepping back into the water and swimming backward when she got deep enough in. Finn stood still, gaping at Rachel who was smirking at him. She dunked her head under and when she resurfaced found Finn finally undressing and joining her in the water. He moved to take her in his arms but Rachel swam away. "Nope, you need to earn it first." She bit her lip and smiled as she giggled and swam around.

"You really enjoy torturing me, don't you?" Finn smiled back at her and moved forward to attempt to capture her but she swam away too quickly.

"We're going to play a game. Have you ever heard of Marco Polo?"

Finn shook his head. "Nope. Who's he?"

"He was an explorer but more importantly his name has become a game. If you want _all_ of this," Rachel announced suggestively with a cute head tilt, "then you need to win the game."

"How do you play?"

"Close your eyes." Rachel waved her hand to indicate he needed to close them. "Close your eyes."

Finn followed her orders and closed his eyes listening for the next direction. "What now?" He could hear Rachel splashing around then felt her presence directly in front of him.

Her breath was on his ear. "You call Marco and I call Polo then you come find me." Then she was gone.

Finn cleared his throat. "Uh, um, Marco?"

"Polo," her melodic voice called from far off to his right. He moved in that direction.

"Marco."

"Polo." This time her voice came from his left. Finn's head swiveled in that direction.

"Marco."

"Polo." Her voice was behind him and seemed to be closer this time.

"Marco."

Finn could feel warmth spreading over his back. "Polo."

He whipped around quickly and pulled Rachel to him before she could escape again. His eyes opened to see her shining smile greeting him. "I won. Now what's my prize?"

Rachel hopped onto Finn and wrapped her legs around his body. "Me." She giggled and Finn held her closer, furling his fingers around her neck and pulling her to him to kiss her deeply.

They took their time kissing, sucking on each other's tongues, nipping at the other's lips, enjoying the taste of each other as they remained wound around one another. Finn's hands explored the contours of Rachel's body, the gentle curve of her back down to her rounded behind, over her smooth legs. Her body pressed against his and Finn ran his hand up Rachel's stomach to her breast.

"Make love to me, Finn," Rachel whispered quietly against Finn's lips as their kiss broke apart. Finn nodded softly and reached down between them to guide himself into Rachel. She whimpered as he slowly made love to her in the water, taking his time to make sure she was satisfied and coming undone around him before releasing into her.

"I love you so much, Rachel," Finn breathed as he stroked her hair and pressed kisses to any bit of skin he could reach.

"I love you too, Finn. I love you."

While Finn held Rachel there, suspended in rapture, warm tingles spread through her starting from the tips of her toes and fingers, down from the top of her head, pulling inward until they balled up inside her and finally came to rest with a soft pulsing sensation in the center of her body. She had never experienced anything like the sensation before but it was incredible.

"I think even my body loves you because I just had the most incredible tingling sensation."

"I think it's the water because I'm feeling tingles too. Must be part of the magic," he said with a grin.

Rachel turned her head and noticed the cave behind the waterfall. She nodded toward it. "Have you ever been in there?"

Finn looked at the cave too. "Of course. Let's go." He moved Rachel to his back and swam them over to the cave until they got to the natural rock steps that led up into the hollowed out rock. Much to Rachel's surprise a black and glittery sand covered the ground.

Rachel was in awe of the structure as every inch of it glittered, casting colorful rays of light over their skin. "McKinley is just full of surprises. This is so beautiful. I've never seen anything like it."

"Yeah, me either," Finn replied, staring at Rachel's naked body wandering around the cave rather than the cave itself. When she looked down from the stalactites on the ceiling to catch Finn's eyes raking over her body, her whole being blushed. It was still an unusual occurrence for her to be so vulnerable in front of another person.

Rachel folded her hands behind her back and walked back to Finn, grinning like a fool. "You realize you're staring, right?"

Finn looked up from Rachel's chest and into her eyes. "Sorry, you're just…gorgeous. I love every bit of you."

She wrapped her arms around his body and stood on her tiptoes to give him a kiss. "I feel the same." Rachel kissed him again and Finn picked her up before laying her out on the sand.

Finn brushed some hair out of Rachel's face, smoothing his thumb over her cheek. "Right now I plan on showing you just how much I love every bit of you."

The lovers spent hours at the Crystal Lake making love and discovering each other. Finn couldn't get enough of Rachel and Rachel couldn't keep from needing more of Finn all day. It was only as Finn watched Rachel pick a flower and put it in her hair that he realized this was where it should happen, here and now.

Nervous excitement building in him, Finn dug through his pants to find the little box he'd been carrying around since the day prior. When Rachel got back to the cropping of rocks they had been lying out in the sun on, Finn stood up and took Rachel's hands before she could sit down. She looked concerned when she noticed he was sweating and licking his lips repeatedly.

"Finn, are you okay?"

He smiled at her. "I'm fine; more than fine. I'm fantastic, Rachel." He took a deep breath and launched into an impromptu engagement proposal. "Rachel, I know we haven't known each other all that long but you love me right?" She nodded and went to speak but Finn continued. "I love you too and I've never felt this way about anyone. Ever since I met you four days ago…or I guess, technically yesterday in this world, I haven't been able to stop thinking about you. When we're together I feel whole and when we're apart all I do is think about being with you again. So, what I'm trying to ask you is," Finn got down on one knee and Rachel's eyes widened and she chewed on her lip nervously, "will you do me the honor of becoming the Queen to my King and marry me? I want to spend the rest of my life with you and I don't want you to leave McKinley. I want you to stay with me and be with me, so please say yes." He held out the stunning starburst diamond ring with the simple platinum band, waiting patiently for her to accept it.

Finn stared up at Rachel with hope in his eyes but all she could do was stare back at him in terror. Rachel had spent two days in this world ignoring reality and enjoying Finn's company but Finn's sudden proposal had broken Rachel of the spell McKinley had cast over her. She wasn't from this world, she couldn't stay here. Sure she loved Finn, but she had only known him for four days, not even that many in McKinley. She couldn't leave behind her life in New York forever after four days!

"No," she breathed out so low Finn almost didn't hear her. His face fell slightly but Rachel could still see just a glimmer of hope on his features.

"What?" he croaked out. "Rachel-"

"No, Finn," Rachel said louder this time. Tears began to well in her eyes. "I can't marry you."

"But we love each other…" Finn stated with confusion. They loved each other, why couldn't they be together?

"I do love you, Finn but I barely know you. We've known each other for four days. Even four months would still not be enough time."

Finn was really confused. _Four months_. He couldn't wait four months, he wanted Rachel to be his now! He needed her now!

"Four days is longer than my parents knew each other before getting married."

"I'm sorry, but I can't." She pulled her hands from Finn and beckoned for him to stand up. He gripped the ring tighter in his hand. "Finn, I have a life back in New York. I have an apartment and a job and my dads and I can't just leave those things behind."

Finn's face drew together in frustration. Why was she doing this? They loved each other and he knew she was unhappy back in her world, he could sense that from the beginning. She had been happy in McKinley with him, why wouldn't she want to stay with him where she was in love and happy? Why couldn't he make her see it?

"Rachel, you live in a single room and have a job you don't like. You only have one friend who is an old man and a creepy neighbor who probably jerks off to the sound of you breathing."

Rachel's mouth fell open aghast at his blunt assessment of her life. "Thank you for pointing out how entirely awful my life is Finn because I didn't know that already." She stormed over to where her dress was still lying forgotten on the beach.

Finn sighed realizing he may not have put that in the best terms. "Rachel, that's not what I meant. I only meant that I know you aren't happy at home. I realize McKinley doesn't have Broadway or karaoke bars or showers – which I'm going to look into getting because they're awesome – or even electricity, which is also awesome, but it has me. Now I may be crazy, but from what I've seen, I make you happier than all those other things combined, Rachel." He started to tear up himself as Rachel hastily pulled her clothes on. She couldn't leave him. She just couldn't.

"My life may not be the greatest, I don't live like royalty, but it's still my life and I can't just abandon it because I had four amazing days with a man I hardly know."

Finn reached out and grabbed Rachel's hand when she turned to stalk off to get to the path back to the road. "But you do know me," he yelled out louder than he meant to. His frustration with the stubborn woman he had fallen in love with was beginning to grow. "And I know you. So it's been four days but we know each other better than some people I've known my entire life. I know that when you're upset you like to drink water because your dads would always bring you a glass of it when you were sad as a little girl, I know that you dream of playing Eva Perón, Fanny Brice and Laurey Williams even though I have no idea who those people are. I know that you snore, loudly, and drool when you sleep but I find it adorable. I know that your singing is the most enchanting thing in any world and your cheeks get so rosy when you're drunk and when I find that sweet spot just below your ear, your leg shakes from it. I know that you weren't treated fairly by anyone in your world and that you deserve better than spending your time working as a sad clown, living in one room, waiting for Prince Charming to come along and save you. Well guess what Rachel, Prince Charming has arrived and you're turning me away. I'm sorry that I'm not from your world but that doesn't mean I'm not real."

Rachel was crying openly now trying to hold back the more intense sobs.

"I love you, Rachel. Why can't that be enough?"

"Can you please take me back to the castle now? I need to go home." She ripped her arm away from Finn and tried to walk around him.

"Rachel-" Finn tried to grab her again but she spun around and screamed at him.

"You can't ask me to decide this now, Finn! I need time and I _need_ to go home, now! So please, just take me back to the castle."

Finn stood there stunned at her outburst. Tears streamed down her face and her eyes and nose were red and puffy. Though she looked miserable he still could only see the dazzling woman who had captured his heart and was now holding it in a vice grip and crushing it. He just nodded, his lips mashed together tightly trying to hold back his own tears as he walked to grab his clothes. He shoved the ring back in its box angrily and put it back in his pocket.

He couldn't believe he had been so vulnerable with her in every way, he was even naked, and she stepped all over him like that. Finn didn't love Rachel any less but he could not understand why she wouldn't accept him. It just wasn't a concept fathomable to him that she would say no after everything.

Rachel turned away from Finn to let him dress a little more privately after she had just destroyed his dream. She couldn't marry Finn. Rachel loved him but love wasn't always enough. They had to be realistic. With the constant time shifts of traveling back and forth through the door, there didn't seem a way to make things work with them each staying in their own worlds. Brittany said it had never been done and it probably wouldn't end well which would mean one of them would have to choose to leave their world behind forever to be with the other. Rachel couldn't let Finn give up everything for her and she couldn't leave behind the only life she knew.

"If you're ready, I'm ready," Finn called from behind her tersely. She turned around to find him staring at her brokenly. He shook his head and led the way out of the hidden lake. The walk back to the castle was a silent lonely one with Rachel walking a few paces behind Finn the entire way, a far cry from the love filled and happy walk from Sam's barn.

When they made it back, Finn told Kurt to spread the word that he was not to be disturbed by anyone until further notice and Rachel changed back into her own clothes. When she walked back into Finn's room she found him sitting dejectedly on his bed with his head in his hands.

"I'm so sorry, Finn. I really do love you but I'm just not ready for this yet." A tear rolled down her cheek and she quickly wiped it away. Finn looked up at her sadly.

"I don't think you aren't ready. I think you're scared and you're letting your fear get in the way of your happiness." Finn stood up abruptly and took Rachel's face in his hands. "I love you Rachel and if you say you need some time to think, I'll give you some." He lightly pressed his lips to her forehead. "Please, come back to me."

Finn pulled away from Rachel and walked out to his balcony facing away from her. He didn't want to have to actually watch her leave him; it would hurt too much.

Rachel cried a little harder as she walked to the cabinet. She took one last glance at Finn's back, his head hanging low as he leaned on the railing, before stepping inside and shutting the door behind her.

Miles away in a dark corner of the kingdom where very few ever dared to venture, Lady Fabray and Quinn were hesitantly knocking on the door of the one woman who could help with their predicament.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Quinn asked her mother for the umpteenth time.

Lady Fabray knocked on the door again. "If the King is as obsessed with this woman as it seems this will be the only way for you to marry him."

The door flew open and a haggard old woman stepped forward out of the shadows. "What?" she barked at the two blondes on her doorstep.

"Terri Schuester?" Lady Fabray stuttered out.

The woman in the door sighed. "It's Del Monico now, but yes?"

"We were sent by her Highness Sue Sylvester-"

The Witch threw them a scary sweet smile. "Oh yes, come on in." She let them enter her home and they reeled at the scent in the air.

"What is that awful smell?" Quinn asked wrinkling her nose at it.

"Anti-aging potion. It's nearly ready." She walked over to her small cauldron and dipped a spoon into it, sniffing the contents more closely. Terri smiled in satisfaction before filling a glass full of the reeking potion and downing it. Before Lady Fabray and Quinn's eyes the woman dropped decades by the second to reveal a much younger and more attractive woman. "Oh my goodness, that is so much better. I was beginning to actually feel old that time. More teenagers really need to walk through this wood so I can steal their youth."

Quinn took a step back as Terri eyed her delicate features. "Right. Can we just get down to business please?" She needed to be wary of this woman. If she was known to associate with Sue willingly chances were she was absolutely no good.

"Of course." She looked more closely at Quinn. "You have magnificent bone structure and is your hair naturally that color?"

Quinn's nostrils flared. "That is not pertinent to our business. Now if you could please focus."

The air in the room suddenly became charged as Terri's mood shifted. "I suggest you watch the tone you use with me young lady. I can do some serious damage to that pretty little face of yours." She slid her finger along Quinn's jaw then sat down in her oversized chair at her table, motioning for Quinn and Lady Fabray to sit as well. "So, what exactly do you need from me that Sue sent you?"

"The King-"

"Stop right there." Terri stuck her finger out. "If you're here to try to get me to help you kill the King, it's a big fat no. Those days are behind me. I don't kill anyone anymore ever since I killed the love between my husband and me. I only torture and maim."

"We don't want to kill the King. We just need a simple potion to make Quinn here look like the woman King Finn is infatuated with," Lady Fabray explained.

Terri stared at them like they were stupid. "Simple? _Simple?_ You think a potion like that is simple? No, it's not. I can't just brew you up a batch and hand it over. It's an active potion which means I need time and the girl, not to mention payment. Nothing is free in this world, ladies."

Quinn and her mother looked at each other. "What if we could get you out of this…" Quinn glanced around at her surroundings, "less that desirable living situation and back into the castle?"

Terri's ears pricked up at this. "How?"

"With the success of this potion Sue will become queen and can then reinstate you to your former position. She may even be able to get you your husband back." Quinn arched her eyebrow as a mischievous smirk crossed her face.

"I'll need more than that. There's no guarantee you'll succeed in whatever your plan is."

Lady Fabray then pulled the biggest diamond Terri had ever seen out of her purse. "Is this enough for payment?"

Terri's eyes were wide and sparkled as she salivated over the jewel. "That'll work. Just bring me the girl and I'll have everything else ready for when she gets here." She stared at the diamond reaching out for it until Lady Fabray snatched it back.

"You'll get paid once we have a working potion." She stood up and pulled Quinn to her feet as well. "Have it ready by tomorrow. We'll be back with the girl then."

Leaving Terri seething at losing the diamond, Lady Fabray yanked Quinn along with her as they exited the dilapidated cottage.

"How are we supposed to get the whore? She's with Finn constantly. He'll notice if she goes missing."

Lady Fabray smiled wickedly at her daughter before getting into their carriage.

"Leave it to me, my darling."

* * *

><p>Mwahahahahaha!<p> 


	11. What I Did For Love

Yes, it's another update already! We're getting to the really juicy nefarious plot part now so don't hate me too much.

* * *

><p>Rachel stepped into Rocco's junk room to find him standing exactly where she and Finn had left him when they went through the door.<p>

"Well that was a fast trip. Did you even go anywhere? Where's Finn?" Rocco questioned until he saw that Rachel had been crying rather heavily. Without question, Rocco took Rachel into his arms and began comforting her as she clutched his chest and sobbed loudly. "Come on. Let's get you something to drink and get to the bottom of this."

He sat Rachel down on his couch and handed her the glass he had just filled at her request. Silently he sat next to her and waited for her to calm down enough to be able to speak. When the sobs had ceased and the sniffles were minimal he asked her what happened.

Before he knew what hit him Rachel told him in great detail exactly what had transpired between her and Finn, from Quinn walking in on them, to being chased by Finn's crazy fangirls, to making love in the barn, to the tingly feeling Rachel experienced in the Crystal Lake all the way through to the reason she was back.

Rocco just nodded his head as he listened.

"I love him but I can't marry him. Everything I know is here. I can't leave my life behind, my dads, you…"

Rocco snorted. "No offense, Rachel, but if you're stickin' around for me, then you're crazy. You shouldn't pass up true love when it's knocking down your door to get in, Rachel."

"But how do I know that it's true love? We've known each other four days! That's not even enough time to do a proper background check!"

He chuckled a little and shook his head at her. "Rachel, did I ever tell you about how I met my wife?"

Rachel looked at her boss and friend and shook her head. "No, you don't talk about your wife much."

"Yeah, it still hurts to think about her sometimes, but I think this story might help you."

"How'd you meet your wife?" Rachel turned on the couch and made herself more comfortable to watch Rocco speak.

"Well, I had just graduated high school and I wasn't going to college because I was just going to work in my dad's garage fixing cars. I got the opportunity to take a trip across country with a buddy over the summer though before I really had to start working so I went with him. We made it out to California and we were out on the beach one night hangin' out with some of these people Roy had met and there was this beautiful girl there. She was the most gorgeous thing I had ever seen in my life. She had rich silky red hair, legs that put every other girl's in California to shame and boobs out to here," Rocco put his hands about a foot out from his chest making Rachel laugh. "Anyway, she was stunning. I chatted her up a bit of course and we really hit it off and one thing led to another and basically we screwed like four times in the back of Roy's van. Unfortunately, Roy and I were movin' on the next day to go to Vegas but she had left before I had even woken up anyway. I didn't even get to say goodbye.

"So, Roy and I made it back to New York and I worked in my dad's shop and life returned to normal. Two months later, I get called into the office and my dad tells me a gorgeous redhead came in lookin' for me and said she'd be staying at a friend's in Queens and she really needed to talk to me. So I go to Queens and sure enough it's my redhead from California. She tracked me down from a single tiny little throw away detail I had mentioned about my dad's garage when we were talking – remember this was way before the internet so it wasn't easy – and dropped this bombshell on me that she's pregnant and it's mine. I was totally shocked! I never thought I'd see this woman again yet there she was in front of me in Queens telling me we were havin' a kid together. I thought it had to be some kind of miracle. So, the next day, I found my own apartment and asked Maggie to marry me. She was hesitant at first since she'd be leaving behind everything she had in California but she didn't let the fear keep her from saying yes and we were happily married for nearly 30 years until she was taken from me by cancer. If she were still here we'd still be happily married."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Were you even listening Rachel? I knew my wife for a grand total of three days before we got hitched, moved in together and started preparing for a baby! We didn't know anything about each other and as it turned out we had very little in common. I couldn't even remember her last name during our 'I do's' at city hall. Even though we hardly knew each other, that didn't mean we didn't love each other. Our three days turned into thirty years, Rachel. You love Finn, like true, strong love and you're turning your back on it because you don't know every minute detail of his life. Those things will come in time, Rachel."

Rachel started tearing up again. "But what if you're wrong, Rocco? What if we end up hating each other? What if things don't work out?"

"Then you get a divorce and come back to New York, but I doubt that will happen. You can't let your fear that it might not work out keep you from trying. That guy is crazy about you, Rachel and would do anything for you. I know life has been rough for you and that the constant rejection from your peers and Broadway has made you think you aren't worthy of love and you've gotten so used to being unhappy that it's hard for you to accept happiness, but you gotta Rachel, otherwise, you're going to turn into a bitter old cat lady who regrets life every day. Is that what you want?"

Rachel wiped a tear from her eye. "No, of course not. But what about my dads and my dream of Broadway?"

"Your dads would want you to be happy and as for Broadway…dreams can change Rachel. Maybe it's time for you to find a new dream; one that includes you happily married to Finn and poppin' out babies left and right."

She chuckled then swallowed harshly as she absorbed Rocco's words. Maybe he was right. Rachel loved Broadway and always would but she love Finn more. She loved the idea of waking up next to him every day, being able to call herself his wife, bearing his children, loving him until they were grey haired and old watching their grandkids run around. And even though it lacked electricity, Rachel even loved McKinley.

For so long Rachel had wanted the spotlight, to be a star and have everyone know her name and love her and adore her and to win Tony's and acclaim, but she would trade all of that for the love of one man, _her_ man, who made her feel like the biggest star in the world, even bigger than Barbra.

"I do," Rachel whispered out as it suddenly hit her. "I do."

"You do what?" Rocco asked looking mildly perplexed.

Rachel looked up and smiled at Rocco, her heart swelling as she realized she had made the biggest mistake of her life in leaving Finn. "I do want to marry Finn. I love him and I want to marry him and be his wife and the Queen to his King and have a family with him and all of it. I don't need everyone to love me; I just need him to love me.

Rocco smiled widely at Rachel, glad to see that his words had gotten through to her. "So what are you going to do?" He stared her down intently.

She nodded her head as she thought about her plan. "I'm going to go back to McKinley and find Finn and tell him that I'm an idiot and that I never should have left and that I'll never leave again because I love him and I do want to marry him." Rachel leaped off the couch and Rocco stood with her. "I can figure out how to tell my dads I'm getting married and won't ever be visiting them in Ohio again later. I just need to find my man and fix this."

Rachel pulled Rocco into a tight hug and closed her eyes, smiling as she thanked him for telling her exactly what she needed to hear until unexpectedly, Rocco slipped out of her grasp and crumpled to the floor, knocked completely out. Before Rachel could even let out a scream, a hand was clamping around her mouth and forcing her against a body that felt entirely unfamiliar. The person began dragging her down the hall and she tried to fight but with each step she slipped further and further into unconsciousness until everything faded to black.

* * *

><p>Jesse St. James sat in his usual seat at the bar drinking his usual scotch when a most unusual patron entered the crappy establishment he frequented. The figure was unlike anyone else who had ever set foot in the dingy bar but he recognized her right away. She had a face he would never forget.<p>

He let the woman approach him at the bar and turned to face her only when he finished his drink. "Lady Fabray, what a displeasure it is to see you again," he greeted dryly as the woman sat down on the stool next to him and glanced around nervously.

"Mr. St. James, always a pleasure," she replied through gritted teeth.

Jesse caught the attention of the barkeep and ordered himself another scotch and one for Lady Fabray as well. The large grungy man filled two glasses then left the pair alone.

"I don't drink scotch, Mr. St. James."

Jesse just shrugged. "Fine, more for me." He pulled her glass to him and left it sitting until he finished his own. "So Lady F, what brings you to my neck o' the woods?" He stared forward not even bothering to look at the woman anymore.

"I have a proposition for you, Mr. St. James."

"And what is that?"

"I need you to find someone for me."

Jesse snorted. "Why should I help you with anything after the things you've done?"

"Because unlike you I know where my grandchild is."

Jesse whipped his head in Lady Fabray's direction. "Where? Where is my child?"

The woman just laughed at him. "You really think I'd tell you before getting what I want? Mr. St. James, you know me better than that."

"Does Quinn know where? Maybe I'll just-"

"Quinn has no idea what happened to her baby. She doesn't even know the child's name," she cut him off, dashing his hope of getting some information without needing to do her bidding.

Jesse's jaw set as he angrily slammed his glass down on the counter sloshing scotch everywhere. He laughed without humor. "Why should I believe anything you say? How would you know what happened to my child?"

"Because I was there when Sue found your child a home. They're very well taken care of."

Jesse started to break down a little. "Please, I just want to know, was it a boy or a girl? I don't know anything about my kid."

"If you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours." Lady Fabray raised her eyebrow enticingly.

If Jesse ever wanted to be able to find out what happened to his child he had no choice but to relent. He tossed back the remainder of his drink before speaking. "I'll do whatever you need me to. Just please, tell me _something_."

Lady Fabray took pity on the man who had foolishly impregnated her daughter and threw him a bone.

"Quinn had a very healthy baby girl. She looks just like Quinn."

Jesse smiled and tears began to well in his eyes. "What's her name? Do you know?"

"I do, but I'm not telling you."

Jesse looked sadly at the bar. "I wish I could see her."

Lady Fabray put her hand on Jesse's shoulder. "If you succeed in what I need you to do, I'll see to it that you can."

He looked back up at the woman. "What exactly do you need me to do?"

Back at the castle, Finn was wandering through the maze below his balcony trying to get lost to forget his troubles. The only problem was his troubles kept finding him no matter which direction he turned.

Finn shouldn't have let her go. He should have fought harder for her, made her stay with him. Forcing her would have done no good though. He didn't want to make her do anything she didn't want to; he wanted her to stay because she had made the decision to. Why couldn't they have just been from the same world? This whole door business was ruining everything.

"I gotta get out of here," Finn mumbled to himself. He looked at where he was in the maze and quickly figured out which direction to go. It didn't take long to find the exit and once out he booked it over to the stable. He found Brittany there about to leave for the night.

"Finn, what's going on? Where's Rachel?" she asked curiously.

"Rachel went back to her world."

Brittany was truly shocked. "Why? I thought things were going well?"

"I don't want to talk about it right now. I just need to get out of here."

The blonde nodded and smiled sympathetically at her long time friend. "I'm sure everything will work out Finn. You two are meant to be." Saying no more about it, Brittany patted Finn on the shoulder and said her goodbyes leaving him alone in the stable.

Finn wished Brittany's words could be true but it didn't seem to be working out that way.

In an attempt to be forgiven and earn back his carrot privileges, Rodney was being most accommodating and allowed Finn to saddle him up. He whinnied at him but as Finn didn't understand horse he had no idea what he was trying to say; it was possibly an apology. At the moment Finn didn't care however. He just needed to get away.

He rode in the direction of the Crystal Lake but for the life of him he couldn't seem to find it. Ever since first discovering it he knew exactly where it was but now it was as if its location had been erased from his memory. He searched endlessly for the willows that signified its existence but all he saw were oaks and evergreens and other various trees, none of which were the ones he needed.

The sky grew darker overhead as Finn continued to search but he couldn't give up hope. It needed to be around. It was his place and he needed it, it couldn't leave him too. Angrily, Finn hopped off Rodney and stared pacing around yanking on his hair. He screamed loudly at the sky as tears started falling.

He wanted to punch something, to kick the shit out of anything and just make something hurt as much as he did on the inside. It wasn't fair what was happening to him. He loved Rachel and Rachel loved him so why was she tearing his heart out and stomping all over it? Why was she so afraid to be happy? Why couldn't she understand that he couldn't live anymore knowing that she was out there somewhere that wasn't with him?

Finn kicked at some leaves that had built up on the ground but fell over wincing in pain when he realized it wasn't a pile of leaves but a small boulder with a thin layer of foliage covering it.

"Fuck!" he screamed into the night air as he clutched his foot which was throbbing. He lay on the ground thinking about anything but the pain to make it go away. The stars were beginning to shine through the spaces of the forest canopy as he stared upward and he thought about them. The stars. They were all so bright but no matter how brightly they shined none of them could ever match his star. She was so radiant it was nearly blinding. She was perfection captured in a tiny brunette form. Rachel was the only thing he wanted, the only thing he needed, but the only thing he couldn't keep a hold of. He laid there in silence, the only thing on his mind Rachel's beautiful face.

During their discussion at the bar, Lady Fabray had told Jesse everything she knew about this Rachel he was searching for. Short, brunette, big nose, loud mouth, dressed like a whore and came from another world through a door which they didn't know the whereabouts of. The only lead he had to go on to find her was the king's friend Brittany, since no one knew where the King's current location was and she seemed to know everything, whose house he was now breaking into.

He crept through the darkness of the nice little home until he found the bedroom she and who he assumed to be her husband were sleeping in. Before she could wake up and alert her husband, Jesse gagged Brittany and dragged her out of the room. She kicked and tried screaming as she had woken up but the sleeping potion the rag he used had been soaked with kicked in and she went limp as he dragged her into her kitchen and tied her to a chair tightly.

Jesse stalked back into the bedroom and did the same Artie to completely incapacitate both of them. Thirty minutes later Brittany was stirring awake as Jesse paced the room nervously. When Brittany was finally fully alert, Jesse stopped and faced the pair.

"Wh-who are you?" Brittany croaked out as she looked at the intruder in her home.

"Not important. What is important is that you give me the information I need otherwise you will pay with your life? Got it!" he barked at her.

"What do you want?" She looked around and found Artie tied to a chair as well still passed out from the potion and began to cry. "Please, don't hurt us. We'll do anything you want." This man could hurt her for all she cared but he couldn't hurt Artie. He'd been hurt enough in his life already.

"Good. I need to know the whereabouts of the woman King Finn has been wandering around the kingdom with. I know you can lead me to her. So start talking," Jesse spit in her face.

"How do you know about Rachel?"

"Just tell me where she is!" he screamed in her face. Next to her Artie was finally waking up.

"Brittany?" he moaned out groggily. His vision was blurred as he wasn't wearing his glasses and he couldn't move his arms. "Brittany, what's going on?"

Jesse grabbed a kitchen knife and stood behind Artie holding the blade to his throat. "Tell me where to find the girl or I will slit his throat!"

"No! Please! You can't! Please, I'll tell you!" Brittany was full on sobbing now, struggling against her ropes in vain trying to rescue her husband. Jesse pressed the tip of the knife harder into Artie's throat drawing blood. "She isn't here anymore. She went home through the door."

"How do you know this?"

"King Finn told me himself." She sobbed uncontrollably as she watched the blood trickle down Artie's neck. "Please, let him go! I told you what you wanted to know."

Jesse pulled on his hair. "It isn't enough. I need the girl. Where is the door? Tell me where it is now!" He pressed harder on Artie's neck making him suck in a sharp breath.

Seeing no other option if she wanted her husband to live, Brittany told him the door's location. "It's in King Finn's bedroom. It's an old cabinet."

Jesse pulled the knife from Artie's throat and he coughed, trying to breathe normally again. Now he had a real predicament. Breaking into Brittany Pierce's house had been cake but the castle was another job entirely. There were guards posted everywhere, especially at night and to get into the king's bedroom without being a close confidant of his or receiving an invitation by the king himself was nearly impossible. But then again…

He whipped around and grinned evilly at Brittany. "You're coming with me or I will end hubby's life. If you try to fight me while we're out, I will end you. I'm very proficient in hand to hand combat and fencing." Jesse gagged Artie again and removed him from the chair, throwing him over his shoulder and exiting the kitchen. A few minutes later he came back for Brittany who was still crying.

"What did you do with my husband? Where did you take him?" she screeched at the man holding her captive.

"When I have what I need, you'll get the cripple back. Now shut up before I knock you out!" He gagged her again and removed her from the chair as well. Jesse carried Brittany outside to his horse and threw her over his saddle so she was lying sideways on her stomach. Jesse climbed onto the horse next and off they rode to the castle.

As they got closer Jesse slowed down and threatened to slit her throat and leave Artie to rot if she even tried to scream after he removed her gag. "How do we get into the castle undetected?"

"Go left. There's an invisible pathway over there that only the King and I know about." Brittany sniffled as she sat uncomfortably on the horse, gagged once more after speaking.

She couldn't believe this was happening to her. Brittany and Artie were good people who never hurt anyone, why would anyone want to hurt them? Why do they want to know where Rachel and the door are? What purpose could it serve? And why was this horse being so mean to her? He spoke to her like he had a stick up his bum whenever he would neigh. It seemed horse and rider were a perfect match.

"Where's the path?"

"Stop." Brittany looked around trying to assess where she was in the dark. When she noticed the familiar bent tree that marked the path she nodded in its direction. "Just to the right of the bent tree. It will lead you directly to the stable."

They continued on to the stable and from there he forced Brittany to lead him to King Finn's bedroom which was vacant when they arrived.

"Well look at that, a bit of luck." Jesse turned to Brittany who was standing motionless, a blank expression on her face. "You've been most helpful. I'll see to it that you and your husband are reunited." He whacked Brittany over the head and dragged her down the hall to what appeared to be an art room. He locked her in a closet then proceeded back into the King's room.

Jesse stared down the cabinet trying to figure out how it could possibly work. He took a chance and stepped inside expecting the back wall to dissolve or to be able to simply walk through it. Nothing happened though.

He stepped back out as his brow furrowed in thought. There was obviously some way through if that Rachel girl had come and gone by it. He checked the back and scratched his head in confusion before stepping back in. The door began to creak shut behind him and the thought hit him that maybe it needed to be closed.

Jessed closed the door and waited for something to happen. He pressed on the back wall to find that it gave way making him fall forward until he had fallen out into a small room cluttered with objects he'd never seen before. What kind of world did this Rachel woman live in?

Not concerning himself with the items, Jesse stealthily slipped out of the room and down the hallway toward where he could see some light and hear some voices. He took his potion soaked cloth out and pulled out the knife he'd taken from Brittany's home. As he rounded the corner of the hallway into a larger room he found a small young woman and an older man in the middle of an embrace.

The woman fit Lady Fabray's description perfectly and he knew it had to be her. Swiftly, he closed the distance between him and the pair and knocked the man unconscious with the butt of his knife and before the woman could respond he held the cloth over her mouth and began dragging her back toward the door.

He reentered the king's bedroom and hastily made his way off castle grounds to take his bounty back to the Witch's house in the woods where he'd be able to claim his prize.

As he rode out, Jesse dared to believe that he would be seeing his little girl much sooner than he had anticipated.

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><p>So who saw Jesse as Quinn's baby daddy coming? lol<p> 


	12. Blue Blood

"Where…where am I?" Rachel croaked out as she finally began to come to. Her brain was foggy and vision was blurred as she tried to lift her head.

"Don't worry my dear, we aren't going to hurt you…much," a sickly sweet voice said quietly. She felt a hand stroke her hair and she tried to swat it away but found she couldn't move. As she became more conscious and aware of her surroundings, Rachel realized she was tied to a chair.

This fact cleared her brain and brought back her memories of what happened. A man had taken her. A man had knocked Rocco over the head and kidnapped her from his home. Based on her surroundings she assumed she was back in McKinley. She was quite confused as to why though.

Rachel struggled against her bonds to no avail and tears welled in her eyes. "Who are you? Why are you doing this? Where am I?" she screeched at the woman pacing around her.

"What is it about you that he likes so much? You aren't that pretty and your state of dress is rather…scandalous," the woman said as she assessed her. "Whatever, that's not part of my job. I just need to make my potion." The woman walked away leaving Rachel alone.

"What do you need from her?" Jesse asked the Witch as she walked out of the back room and stirred the base of her potion.

She spooned some of the potion up and sniffed it. "Her blood." She smiled wickedly at him before letting the liquid spill back into the cauldron. "Oh don't give me that look, I won't kill her."

Jesse had paled when she stated her reason for needing the girl. He may have been a thief and able to dish out violence when necessary but that didn't mean he particularly enjoyed it. "What kind of potion are you making?"

"That's none of your business. Why are you even still here?"

"Lady Fabray owes me information and I'm not leaving that woman until I have what I want."

"What is it that you want?" Terri asked, drooling over the gossip.

"That's none of _your_ business," Jesse snapped back. Terri reeled back looking like she had been stung. "Why haven't you taken her blood yet?"

"If you must know, I'm waiting for Lady Fabray and Quinn so I can be paid immediately. I'm not finishing this potion until I have what I'm owed."

Just then a knock on the door signaled Terri and Jesse to the Fabrays' arrival. She allowed them entry and Jesse smiled as he saw Quinn for the first time in nearly a year. "Hello Quinn, it's good to see you again," he greeted quietly. She looked just as lovely as she did when they first met.

"Hello Jesse. You look awful." She smiled at him.

And she was still just as bitchy. "Thanks."

"Did you get the girl?" Lady Fabray asked, ignoring her daughter's reunion with her child's father.

Jesse nodded. "She's in the back room."

"Give us the potion now," Lady Fabray demanded of Terri.

Terri sighed. "It isn't finished yet. I need that diamond first." She stuck her hand out. "I'm pretty sure you need my potion bad enough to hand it over now. So…"

Lady Fabray rolled her eyes and dug the diamond out. "Now finish the potion."

Terri fondled the diamond wearing a huge grin of satisfaction. "I'll be right back." She walked away still staring at the jewel, disappearing into the back room their prisoner was in.

Rachel watched through her silent tears as the woman from before walked back into the room carrying the biggest diamond she had ever seen. The woman hid it in a cabinet then grabbed a vial and a thin knife and turned around to face Rachel. "If you just relax and cooperate, this will hurt a lot less."

"What…what are you going to do? What are you doing?" Rachel cried out, getting more hysterical with each step Terri took towards her. "Please! I haven't done anything, why are you doing this?"

"Sweetie, just calm down. It will barely hurt." Terri held the vial under Rachel's arm and both women watched as she dragged the blade over her skin, making her bleed, but balked when it began to flow out. "Oh my…"

Rachel's eyes widened as she watched her blood trickle down her arm. She looked up at Terri wondering what was going on. Terri just continued to stare at the blood in awe. "What the…why is my blood _blue_?" Rachel asked, scared out of her mind. Had whatever that man used to knock her out done this? Did everyone's blood turn blue in McKinley? Had she been poisoned and was dying now or something?

"Is the potion done yet?" Quinn called from the other room snapping Terri out of the trance Rachel's blood had put her under. She shook her head and filled the vial then wrapped it in cloth to cover the color before wiping the excess blood from Rachel's arm.

She left Rachel alone in the room again and walked to her cauldron. Terri poured the blood in, hiding the color from the others, and stirred until it was done. "You'll need to drink it every few hours to keep it from leaving your system. It will only give you her outward appearance and voice and nothing else; no memories, no bits of personality." She handed Quinn a flask of potion and watched Quinn hesitantly down it. Seconds later her skin bubbled and shifted until she stood there looking exactly like Rachel.

"Did it work?" she inquired, her voice sounding just like Rachel's.

Her mother nodded and held up a mirror for her. Quinn stared at herself examining her features. "Wow, she has a big nose." She poked at it and played with her hair and other features.

"You'll need her clothes," Jesse added quietly.

Quinn turned to look at him in disgust. "I will not wear her clothing. She runs around nearly naked."

"Your plan to get the king won't work if you act like yourself. He loves Rachel, not you. You have to act like her long enough to get what you want which means you need to wear her clothes."

Quinn gritted her teeth and grunted. "I wil-"

"He's right, Quinn. You need to be her," Lady Fabray interjected. "I'll get her clothes."

"I can do it!" Terri announced loudly stopping Lady Fabray in her tracks. She ran into her room and released Rachel's ropes. Rachel tried to move to fight back but she couldn't.

"What have you done to me? Why can't I move?"

"Would you please shut up? If you cooperate nothing will happen to you. Now, give me your clothes," Terri said quietly.

Against Rachel's will her body began to pull her clothes off. She cried harder as she stood there naked in front of her captor. Terri was decent enough to throw her a nightgown to put on and once she was covered again she was retied to the chair.

"Please, why are you doing this?" Rachel begged once more. She had cooperated the way the woman said to so why was she getting zero answers? None of this made sense.

"I can't tell you that, but believe me when I say that you are safe here." She tried to give Rachel a comforting smile but it failed, frightening the terrified girl more. Terri exited to find Jesse, Quinn and Lady Fabray in a heated argument.

"I did what you asked! I want to know where my child is now!"

"Jesse, would you calm down. What are you going to do with the information anyway? Steal the child?" Lady Fabray asked knowingly.

"Of course not," Jesse lied. "I just want to see her, just once."

"Mother, you aren't seriously going to tell him where she is? I don't even know," Quinn said as she sneered at the clothing Terri handed her.

"That was our deal though." Lady Fabray sighed. "She's living with the Puckermans."

"What?" Quinn and Jesse hissed together.

"You let the head of the king's guard adopt our child?" Jesse spit, running his hands through his hair.

"She needed a home and the Puckermans were desperate. They didn't know who she was coming from."

"Why would Sue give her to the man who is responsible for protecting the king she's been trying to off since birth?" Quinn asked coolly.

Lady Fabray shrugged. "Does it matter? The point is she was adopted and they're the family she is with now. If you want to…_see_ her that is where you will find her."

Jesse shook his head. "You better not be lying to me." He grabbed his things and stormed out of the Witch's home.

Quinn stared at her mother. "Is she really with the Puckermans or are you setting him up?"

Lady Fabray smirked. "Oh she does live with the Puckermans but I know Jesse. He's lying about just visiting her. He'll sneak into their home and get caught then we won't need to worry about him anymore." She ran her hand over Quinn's hair. "I can't wait for this charade to be over with. I miss your face already. Now get changed. We must get you to the King."

Quinn made a face at the garments she was being forced to wear and Terri pointed her to yet another room where she could change in private. Lady Fabray waited until Quinn was out of the room to speak again. "What happens with the girl now?"

Terri crossed her arms over her chest. "She stays here and she stays alive. You'll need more blood for more potion and if she dies the connection will fail and the potion won't work anymore. Don't worry, she'll be very well cared for and she won't ruin your plan."

Lady Fabray nodded lightly. "See to it that she doesn't. We can't have her escaping and showing up at the castle."

The women waited in silence for the next few minutes while Quinn changed. Once she was finished they thanked Terri for her assistance and told her they would return when they needed more potion. Once she was sure they were gone, Terri walked back into the back room where Rachel was sitting with her head down and her eyes closed trying to keep herself together.

"So, Rachel is it?" Rachel's head shot up at Terri's question. She didn't answer the woman but just stared at her as she grabbed a chair to sit in front of her. "Let's have a chat about your blue blood, shall we?"

Miles away in the middle of the forest, Finn was waking on the ground, only Rodney with him for company. He stared at his horse who was staring at him expectantly. Finn knew he wanted to go back to the stable and get some oats and carrots which was the only reason he hadn't left already. Rodney knew Finn would never allow him carrots again if he ditched him for a second time.

Finn stood up and brushed the leaves and dirt stuck to him off and Rodney got to his hooves as well. "Come on. We'll go back to the castle now."

Rodney whinnied in happiness and allowed Finn to mount him. They rode back at a steady pace and when Finn arrived to the stable he was surprised Brittany wasn't already there. She always came in early to feed the horses and oversee the boys cleaning out the stalls. When he asked one of the boys about her whereabouts he had no idea. No one had seen her since she went home last night.

Finn thought it was odd but there was any number of reasons she wasn't there yet. Maybe Lord Tubbington had gotten stuck in his cat door again. It always took her forever to get his fat butt out of it when that happened. Figuring if she didn't show up soon he'd look into it more, Finn made his way back into the castle. Once up in his room he laid out on his bed and stared at the ceiling.

He couldn't believe how bad things had gotten so fast. One minute he and Rachel were happy and in love and it was perfect then the next, he was alone in the dark forest crying over the woman of his dreams leaving him. Finn hoped she would come back to him. They belonged together and he needed her to see that.

"So why am I sitting here? I should be showing her that." Finn sat up and stared at the cabinet. Rachel had said she needed time but what if too much passed and she never came back? What if he lost her forever because he let her walk away and didn't fight for her? Finn couldn't take that chance. He was going after her and making her see what he truly felt she knew down deep but was only too scared to act on.

Not even bother to change, Finn bolted into his cabinet and entered Rachel's world. When he came out on her side, he vaguely remembered that Rocco was supposed to have a guest and he wasn't sure if she'd still be there or not. But he'd just be passing through as Rachel would probably be home when he arrived.

Finn walked down the hall and as he passed by the living room he noticed a lump on the floor. He did a double take and realized it was a person on the floor, specifically Rocco. Worried, Finn ran over to Rocco and flipped him over. He checked his pulse and luckily he was still alive.

"Rocco, Rocco, can you hear me?" he yelled at the older man. "Rocco! Wake up!"

"Would you stop yelling at me," the older man grumbled as his eyes half opened. "It's so loud." Finn smiled at the fact he was alright. "Help me up, would ya?"

Finn carefully lifted Rocco to his feet before helping him walk over to the couch. "Rocco, what the hell happened?"

The man rubbed his head where it hurt most, a sharp gasp of pain escaping his lips. "Ow. Am I bleeding?"

He turned his head for Finn to look at it. "It doesn't look like it. Rocco, how did you get on the floor? What happened?"

"Can you fetch me an ice pack and towel? There's one in the door of the freezer." Finn nodded and quickly ran to get an ice pack and towel. "Thanks son. Now, what?"

For the third time, Finn asked Rocco how he got on the floor.

"Oh, well, um…" He thought about it trying to remember until the light bulb went on. "Rachel was here and she was all upset because you asked her to marry you and we talked and she changed her mind-"

"She changed her mind!" Finn yelled, excitement and happiness building in his heart. "She's going to marry me?"

Rocco nodded. "Yeah, she was gonna go back to tell you and when she was giving me a hug goodbye…all I remember is pain in my head and just before I passed out, I remember…" He looked pained trying to remember what happened. "She was dragged…"

Finn's excitement was now replaced by fear and worry. "Rocco, where's Rachel?"

"Someone dragged her down the hall."

Finn's heart stopped as Rocco's words and their meaning sank in. He stood up and ran down the hall checking all the rooms, stupidly expecting Rachel to just be sitting in there waiting for him. She wasn't at Rocco's and if she had been dragged down the hall… Rachel had to be in McKinley. Why else would someone take her down Rocco's hallway instead of out of his apartment?

"Did you see what the person who took her looked like?" Finn asked quickly, hoping for a lead that could be useful. Rocco just looked sad and shook his head.

"I'm lucky I remembered that much. I'm sorry, Finn."

Finn ran his hand through his hair. "I gotta find her. Do you need to go to the hospital or something? I feel bad just leaving you here." He needed to find Rachel and fast but he couldn't leave Rocco without knowing he'd be okay.

"I'll be fine. Go find Rachel. I'd call the cops but if she's in your world, they won't do any good." He wished Finn luck as he walked back down the hall and back into McKinley.

Finn frantically ran through the castle trying to find Puck. He was the best at finding things others couldn't and Finn needed his expertise to find the woman he loved. Only as Finn jogged into his mother's drawing room, relief and utter joy washed over him. Sitting in a chair opposite his mother was just the woman he was in need of finding.

"Rachel!" he cried out, ecstatic she was there. He ran over to her and pulled her into a giant hug before crashing his lips down on hers. It took her a moment to respond at all and when she did, Finn was taken a little off guard. Instead of kissing him back she lightly pushed him away.

"Hello Finn," she replied, glancing between him and the Queen a little nervously.

"I was so worried about you. Rocco said you were dragged away and I was so afraid you had been kidnapped or hurt or worse." His brow furrowed at the thought.

She gulped before grinning. "I'm fine. Rocco must have been mistaken."

Quinn hoped Finn couldn't see through her right now. She had been so taken off guard by his grandiose greeting and she wasn't sure if her pushing him away had been an indicator.

"But Rocco was hit and he remembered you being dragged away…"

Quinn smiled at him hoping her answer would suffice. "Rocco was fine when I came back. I wasn't dragged anywhere, I swear."

"Finn, I think you're overreacting a little. Rachel showed up about an hour ago and we've been discussing you since," Carole explained to her son. "She's quite alright."

Finn smiled at Quinn and hugged her once more before turning to his mother. "If you don't mind, Mom, I'd like to steal Rachel away for a bit. We have a lot to talk about."

Carole nodded. "Of course."

Finn took Quinn's hand and led her out of the drawing room and back in the direction of his bedroom. "I'm so happy you came back. I just went to your world and found Rocco knocked out on the floor. He said you'd been dragged away by someone but I guess he was wrong. I'm glad you're alright." He brought her hand up to his mouth and kissed the back of it making her blush while a huge grin spread across his face. "He said that you changed your mind."

Quinn's brow furrowed. What had Rachel changed her mind about? "Um, yes, I did."

"I love you so much." He leaned in to kiss her again but something felt off. She was much more rigid than usual and didn't seem to use her mouth the same way. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. It's just been such a long day."

"Yeah, well with the Crystal Lake and your really emotional response to my proposal yesterday and going back and forth through the door…"

"You proposed?" Quinn said rather surprised. Finn narrowed his eyes at her. "I mean, right…with your proposal…which I accepted?" The way she spoke made it seem like she was guessing at the answer rather than knowing it.

Finn's mouth fell open a little. Now he was really suspicious. His proposal had been her entire reason for leaving yet now she didn't seem to remember it? How did that happen? He smiled at her going along with it. Something was wrong, he could definitely tell that now and he was sure that Rocco hadn't been lying about what happened and what he'd seen. He continued to play along however until he could get more information.

"Right. Why don't you get some rest and I'll have the kitchen make some food for you. Is there anything you'd really like?"

"I would love some eggs and bacon if possible."

Now Finn was positive beyond a doubt that everything was entirely off about this 'Rachel'. His Rachel never ate meat and she had told him she was Jewish which meant she could never eat pork even if she did eat meat. Finn may not have known what being Jewish meant but he knew Rachel would never eat bacon or eggs.

"Okay. I'll have them send it right up." He smiled tightly at her before leaving her in his room alone.

Quinn watched Finn exit and felt rather proud of herself. She had managed to fool the King into believing she was the troll he had become obsessed with and now she was about to marry him. Yes, the plan was working perfectly so far.

Simultaneously, back in Terri's cottage Rachel was being grilled.

"So, where exactly are you from?" the woman asked Rachel who only stared at the floor. "Answer me and this will all go much smoother."

Rachel looked up and answered tersely, "Manhattan."

"And that's in the other world, yes?"

"Yes. What does this have to do with why my blood is blue?"

Terri smirked at her, clearly knowing something Rachel didn't. "Oh my dear, it has everything to do with why it's blue. Now, you've been spending time with the King a lot recently, right? Did he take you anywhere special, like a certain crystal lake perhaps?" She stared Rachel down.

Rachel slightly shook her head. "Yes. He wanted to show me his favorite place. Why?"

Terri just tsked. "Such a shame that the Crystal Lake is his favorite place; he'll never see it again."

"What? Why?" Rachel looked totally confused. The woman was being so cryptic and she just wanted some straight answers. She didn't understand why she was being held hostage or why her blood was blue or why they needed her blood in the first place. She wasn't anything special. Why would someone kidnap her?

"What exactly did you do while at the lake?" Terri asked completely ignoring Rachel's questions.

Rachel stared at the woman. There was no way she was going to reveal the intimate moments she and Finn had shared at the lake. They were private and much too special to share with anyone, especially the woman holding her against her will. "Nothing. He showed me the lake then we left."

Terri chuckled. "Oh sweetie, I know _way_ more than that happened at that lake. You and the King had sex in the water didn't you?"

Rachel shook her head, denying in an attempt to keep Terri from drawing out the truth. Unfortunately it just enraged the woman who stood up and got in Rachel's face. "You can deny it all you want, but the evidence is against you. I know what you did in that lake with the king."

"What evidence? What are you talking about?" Rachel yelled back at her.

Terri smirked. "There are only two types of people in McKinley who have blue blood; people who were conceived in the Crystal Lake and their mothers while they're pregnant with them. As you aren't even from this world, you must be in the latter category."

The room fell silent and Terri stood up straight watching as the information penetrated Rachel's brain. Her mouth fell open and her eyes widened significantly.

"I…I'm _pregnant_?"

Terri shook her head. "Yes, you're pregnant."


	13. The Plot Thickens

An update finally! Sorry all, I had a difficult time with this chapter. It just didn't want to work with me but I've finally got it somewhere I am happy with. I hope it doesn't disappoint. :)

* * *

><p>Rachel stared at Terri, totally not understanding anything anymore. She couldn't be pregnant; she just couldn't. "I can't be pregnant. That's impossible," she stated quietly, shaking her head in disbelief.<p>

"Oh believe it. The blue blood is a dead giveaway," Terri said, smirking at her.

"It has to be something else. You're lying! I'm not pregnant!"

Terri rolled her eyes at Rachel. "Why would I lie? It's too important of a detail to lie about."

"I-I don't know! But you're lying! You're doing it to get in my head!" Rachel could not be pregnant! She just couldn't, she wasn't ready for that responsibility yet. She wasn't even married!

Terri sighed, clearly exasperated with Rachel's unwillingness to believe the truth. "Look, you had sex in the Crystal Lake. It's only the most powerful source of magic in McKinley and it's guaranteed that you will leave that water with child if you have sex in it. One of the water's properties is fertility. Supposedly it's so powerful you can actually feel conception."

Rachel's eyes widened as she recalled the intense tingling sensation in her body. Was that her conceiving? But Finn had felt tingles too. There was no way, but then she really thought about it. It wasn't entirely impossible. After all, she and Finn hadn't used protection of any kind; she wasn't on birth control because why would she need to be? She wasn't sexually active before Finn and if this woman's words about the lake were true…

"But Finn felt the tingles too and why would my blood be blue? That doesn't make sense! Your blood doesn't turn blue when you get pregnant!" Rachel yelled out a little hysterically.

"I don't know why he felt these tingles you're talking about, probably just because he's a guy who got to have sex basking in the event, but whatever you felt was conception. As for the blood, it's from the magic that helped conceive the child. That must be why King Finn was able to find the lake in the first place, to make this child."

Rachel was thoroughly confused. "What does that mean?"

"The lake only appears to those who need it and once its purpose is served, it disappears. It's sort of a protective measure to keep just anyone from using its magic the wrong way. It's an eternal source of good. If evil found it, we'd all be doomed."

"But…Finn's been going there since he was a kid…"

Terri shrugged. "Its magic works in mysterious ways. I can't tell you why he found it so early but I can tell you he won't ever find it again. The Crystal Lake is one time service only; which brings us back to you and your very magical child."

Rachel's brows drew together. "Magical child?"

"Hello, blue blood from the magic? Of course the baby is magical. That baby is going to be very special which is why no one can know about your blood except us. It'll be our little secret. You're a very rare and hot commodity right now and I can't have anyone trying to take you or your baby."

"What do you mean? What are you going to do to me?"

"Nothing. You'll be very well taken care of. Then when you give birth I will send you on your merry way…as long as you give me your child. Otherwise we'll have a major problem."

Horror crossed Rachel's face at Terri's words. She wanted to steal her baby which had barely begun to grow within her. Rachel couldn't let that happen. If she truly was pregnant, this was her and Finn's baby and no one was going to take it from them. She had to fight and try to find some way to escape and find Finn. They were going to be a family.

She had screwed up so much by leaving Finn. None of this would have happened if she had just stopped being so scared of the future and followed her heart for once instead of her brain. Rachel loved Finn more than anything and she wanted to be with him and marry him and raise a family with him. She just wanted him to hold her again and make everything alright.

Tears started to fall down Rachel's face. "There's no reason to cry. I'll take good care of you and once you give birth you're free to go," Terri tried to assure her.

"You can't do this! This is my child and Finn's! You can't have it!" she yelled at Terri.

Terri stood up and leaned over Rachel. "It isn't up to you. This child is something special; it will be very powerful. You think you can take on that responsibility? You didn't even know about this world until days ago. What makes you think you're fit to survive in it and raise a magical child?"

Rachel stared her down, Finn's words about maybe finding the door not being an accident echoing in her mind. "I may not be from here but that doesn't mean I'm not supposed to be here. You're not going to get away with your plan, whatever it is, and I'm going to get out of here and get back to Finn," she announced seriously, her jaw setting rigidly.

Terri smiled at her with an evil glint in her eye. "We'll see about that, missy."

"Honey Badger!" a voice called from outside the room. "Where are you?"

The Witch stood up straight and stared at the door behind her. "Great," she hissed. "Just what I need." She stalked away from Rachel and left her alone in the room to greet her boss. "Your Highness, what a pleasure."

"Spare the niceties. I need to know if Lady Fabray and Quinn have that potion. I need to know if my plan will succeed." She glared at her dour surroundings. "Well?"

"They've implemented their plan. The potion worked and last I knew they were on their way to the castle."

"Do you still have the girl Gigantor was all lusty over?"

"Yes, she's in the back."

Sue nodded her head. "What are you going to do with her?"

"I'm keeping her here until she is done serving her purpose then letting her go."

"What?" Sue looked at her like she was crazy. "You can't just let her go! You have to get rid of her."

"Your Highness, you know I don't kill people anymore."

"Then give her to me. I'll take care of-"

"You can't!" Terri cut her off abruptly. "For the potion. She needs to stay alive for the potion. If she dies, the connection fails and your plan goes down the drain." She couldn't let Sue know the other reason she had to keep the girl. If Sue knew about the baby there wouldn't even be reason for her plan in the first place.

Sue sighed in annoyance. "Fine, but as soon as she's outlived her usefulness…" She made a throat slitting motion. "Now take me to her."

Terri acquiesced and allowed Sue to follow her to the back room. Rachel was sitting in the chair, struggling against the ropes still. "You won't get out. Their magically sealed," she informed her.

Rachel glared at the woman. "What? So you just plan on keeping me tied to a chair for the next nine mo-"

"Your Highness, as you can see she's rather feisty," Terri cut it, narrowing her eyes at Rachel. If Sue knew about Rachel's current condition they would both suffer for it.

Sue examined Rachel closely trying to figure out her appeal. "What does my nephew see in you? He's always been a giant flathead, but you? Over Quinn? The man has no taste which obviously I forgot to account for."

Rachel's face twitched in anger. "So you're behind this?" she spit at Sue. "I should have guessed. Finn said you were obsessed with power. I'm not entirely sure what _I_ have to do with this…"

"Of course I'm obsessed with power. Who wouldn't be when it's supposed to be theirs but instead was handed over to a 17 year old ape? I only want what's rightfully mine. If I have to stomp on a few people to get it, so be it." She turned back to Terri. "And you're sure she needs to stay alive for the plan to work?"

"Positive."

"What plan?" Rachel asked, not truly expecting to learn anything but hoping nonetheless.

Sue laughed at her. "What makes you think I'd tell you?"

"I don't know. Usually in movies the villain monologues about their nefarious plot before the hero comes and saves the day. I thought maybe we'd be at that point in the story." Rachel knew it was silly but she did have a penchant for the dramatic. What was more dramatic than being a damsel in distress waiting for her hero to save her and whisk her away to live happily ever after? This seemed like something straight out of a movie.

"What is she babbling about?" Sue muttered to Terri who shrugged just as confused.

"What do you have to lose? I've already been captured and your plan is in motion. Why not explain it so I can at least know why this is happening to me?" Rachel taunted. She wasn't sure how it would help to know in the long run but it would be nice to have _some_ answers.

"Oh what the heck, since I plan on offing you anyway, simple answer, I'm looking to kill my mouth-breathing nephew and take his place on the throne. The problem is, without a proper heir, my reign will mean nothing. I can't have kids so I need his. Can't get a legitimate heir without a wedding though right?"

Rachel gulped and looked at Terri who was staring at her and mouthing to keep quiet. "This plan could take years though!"

"It won't. Once my mole is in place she knows what to do. Then once she's with child the king will come down with a terrible case of food poisoning from which he'll never recover thus leaving me in charge."

Rachel shook her head appalled at the notion. "But the baby still won't be yours. It'll still have a mother."

"True, but once I kill its mother it will be mine. Who else would be around to look after the poor dear orphan prince or princess but its Great Aunt Sue?"

Now Rachel understood why Terri needed her to keep quiet about the baby. Sue wanted one and she was carrying the one she wanted, not to mention it was magical on top of that.

"Now if you'll excuse me. I need to check on my other minions." She turned to Terri. "If she escapes I will end you, Honey Badger." Without another word, Sue turned and left the room.

"You can't let her do this! Finn is a good man, a good king! How can you just kill him?"

"I'm not killing him. I don't kill anyone anymore!"

"By helping her with this plan you are helping her kill him! Maybe you aren't plunging the dagger in yourself but there will still be blood on your hands."

Terri shook her head. "I'm not killing anyone."

"No, what you're doing is worse. You have the power to stop all this from happening but you aren't doing anything. You're just standing by and letting it all happen. You're a horrible person."

Rachel stared down at the floor crying again as Terri left the room trying to ignore her conscience inducing words.

In the castle, Finn had finally found Puck with his second in command Mike Chang. They were playing cards happily discussing Mike's upcoming nuptials to his girlfriend Tina.

"Puck, I need your help," Finn said quietly without preamble as he entered the room.

The man got to his feet, immediately at attention. "What do you need, your Majesty?"

"I need you to find someone for me, but you have to keep it quiet. There's something fishy going on and I don't want to let whoever is behind it know that I know."

He motioned for Puck to sit back down and joined him and Mike at the table leaning in close to speak. "You've heard about my…Rachel, the woman I've been with the past few days?"

"Of course. It's the talk of the town and Tina won't shut up about how cute she thinks you two are," Mike commented.

"Well, she's been kidnapped."

Puck looked really confused by this information. "I just talked to Kurt who said the Queen was happy that you and Rachel were together. She spent like an hour with her."

"She spent an hour with an imposter. That woman is _not_ Rachel. I would know Rachel anywhere."

Mike and Puck looked at each other. "Who do you think the woman is then?" Puck asked needing to gather all relevant information he could to find the King's lady.

Finn shook his head. "I don't know, but she's got powerful friends to get a potion or spell or whatever to make herself look like Rachel. All I really know is that Rachel's friend Rocco was knocked out by someone who dragged Rachel away. I know she's here though. She has to be. And now there's this impostor Rachel; too big of a coincidence for them not to be connected."

Puck nodded. "Well, I know a few people who might know a few people who might be crazy enough to try to kidnap someone from inside the castle. I'll search around and see what I can find. Mike, you stay here and watch this impostor. If she tries anything, detain her and wait for me to get back." He stood up and grabbed his things. "Don't worry, Finn. I'll find your lady and we'll get to the bottom of this." He nodded at his friend and left the room.

Mike gave him a weak smile in reassurance. "Don't worry, your Majesty. Puck's the best, but you know that."

"Let's hope so," Finn replied.

* * *

><p>The head of Finn's security had been to all his informants but one and had learned nothing yet. He hoped his last one would bear fruit but before he could ride out a crushing blow hit him in the form of his wife, Shelby.<p>

He had been exiting his last informant's place when Shelby ran up to him, crying hysterically and barely able to speak. "Whoa, Shelby, calm down." He brushed her hair out of her face as he walked her back into the restaurant to sit her down. "What is going on? Why aren't you at home with Beth?"

"She's gone, Noah! She's gone! Someone took her!"

Puck's heart stopped beating in his chest. This couldn't be happening. His baby couldn't be gone. "What happened?" he asked as calmly as possible.

"I had just laid her down for a nap and went into the kitchen to make some lunch for myself. I w-went back to check on her and when I walked into her room; a man was standing over her crib. B-before I could react, he knocked me out and took her. He was gone by the time I came to." She dissolved into tears again and Puck held her closer.

He was trying to keep his emotional side from clouding his judgment. He had to find his baby now. The king's search would have to wait; nothing came between him and his family. Puck held Shelby's face in his hands trying to get her to look at him. "What did the man look like who took her?"

She drew in a shaky breath. "Um, he…he was shorter than you, slightly curly brown hair. I don't remember much. It all happened so fast."

He kissed Shelby's forehead and hugged her again trying to get her to calm down. "I will find her Shelby, I promise. Right now I need you to go home and try to remain calm. I will handle this."

"Puck? Shelby? Is everything alright?" Tina asked as she walked over to them, noticing how distraught they appeared.

"No, it's not." He stroked Shelby's hair some more. "Tina, do you think you could take Shelby home for me and stay with her until I get back? I don't want her alone right now. I'll take care of it with your boss."

Tina looked back at her manager walking around. "I don't know…"

"Please Tina."

He looked so broken that she had no choice but to agree. Tina shook her head. "Yeah, I'll take care of her."

Puck promised his wife again he'd find their baby and everything would be okay then made sure Tina would get her home safely before leaving as fast as his horse would take him to get to the place he hoped he'd be able to get some answers finally – the dingy bar on the outskirts of town where no one dared venture unless looking for a shady character.

He walked into the establishment and went over to the barkeep. "Ah, Puckerman, back again? Who are we looking for this time?"

"Azimio." He leaned forward over the bar. "I need to know if anyone's been talking about kidnapping the King's lady or my baby."

Azimio leaned over the counter. "You got what I want?"

Puck gripped the man's shirt and ripped him nearly the entire way over the bar. "Do not fuck with me Azimio! My baby has been kidnapped and so has the King's girlfriend! This is serious shit we're dealing with here, not some petty theft!"

He dropped the larger man and threw a satchel of coins at him for added incentive to tell him everything he knew. "I wasn't listening that much but there was a woman in here the other day."

Puck's eyebrow shot up surprised at the thought. "A woman? Here?"

"Yeah. She came in to talk to one of the regulars…Jesse something. Anyway, said she needed him to find someone. Like I said, I wasn't paying too much attention, but I did hear the words 'king' and 'child' tossed around. It seemed like the woman needed Jesse to find another woman for her then she'd tell him about some kid. I dunno…"

Puck smirked at this lead to both open cases he was working on. He knew the creep Azimio was talking about. Jesse St. James was notorious for being places he shouldn't and doing things that were rather unsavory to get what he wanted. Now he just needed to find the bastard. "Any idea where Jesse is?"

"Haven't seen him since last night. Sorry, that's all I know."

Puck nodded and thanked the man as he booked it out of the bar. He had a scumbag to find.


	14. It All Comes Together

Wooo, that was a bit of a wait. Sorry all, this story was just not working for me no matter how hard I tried to make it. Finally, I have got it back on track. Hope you all enjoy!

* * *

><p>After Puck left, Finn and Mike ventured back upstairs. In an effort to keep an eye on the impostor Rachel, Finn was going to introduce her to Mike like he would any of his other friends. Neither man said a word as they walked down the hall to get to his bedroom. The hallway was silent until they got close to the art room.<p>

Hearing soft thuds coming through the wall, Finn put his hand out to stop Mike. "Do you hear that?" he asked, listening more intently now. He walked over to the wall and pressed his ear against it. More thuds could be heard coming from the other side. Quickly, Finn entered the art room and located where the banging was coming from. It could be heard through the closet in the room.

"Stand back, your Majesty. Let me get this," Mike said as he motioned for Finn to move. It was his job to protect him and who knew what was on the other side of that door. Mike unsheathed his sword and held it firmly in his hand as he gripped the knob. He turned the handle and swiftly swung to door open to reveal a much worse for wear woman lying on the ground tied up and gagged banging her head against the wall repeatedly. Once she noticed the door was open her eyes lit up and she began to cry and shake in happiness.

"Brittany! Oh my God!" Finn cried, moving forward to lift his friend out of the closet. He carried her over to the bench under the window and removed her gag before working on the restraints tying her hands and feet together. "Brittany, what happened? How did you get in here like this?"

"Please, you need to find him! He has Artie!"

Finn and Mike looked at each other, neither understanding. "Who has Artie?" Finn asked.

"I don't know his name but he's a bad man. He broke into our house and he hid Artie and said I'd never see him again if I didn't help him! He threatened to kill us both! I had to help him! I'm so sorry, Finn. He forced me to tell him how to get to your cabinet. He wanted Rachel."

Finn took a sharp breath and looked up at Mike. "Rachel _was_ kidnapped. See?"

"Brittany, do you know anything about the man?" Mike questioned.

She began crying harder. "Not really. He was really mean though. He wasn't that tall, had brown curlyish hair and rode a really big black horse. He had really blue eyes too."

It wasn't much to go on but if they could find a way to relay this information back to Puck he might have a clue. Puck knew every lowlife in McKinley. "Brittany, stay here and keep quiet. I'll send some men up to help you and we'll find Artie, I promise. We just need to deal with something first." Mike turned to Finn. "Where's the impostor?"

In a flash, Finn led Mike to his bedroom where the fake Rachel was happily eating her breakfast unaware that she had been discovered.

"Hello Finn, Mike." She smiled at them both and continued eating.

"How do you know Mike?" Finn questioned severely. "I never introduced you to him." He stared at the impostor Rachel and swallowed harshly as his jaw set. He needed answers and didn't have time to mess around anymore.

Fake-Rachel's mouth fell open a little as she realized her mistake. "I-I…I-"

"Where is Rachel?" Finn said in a deep commanding voice as he stalked forward to tower over the woman.

"I _am_ Rachel."

"You're lying!" he howled at her, startling her. "You think I wouldn't notice the difference between you and the real thing? You aren't Rachel and you never will be! Now tell me where she is!"

The woman cowered under him as he continued to loom over her. She steeled herself however and continued to assert that she was Rachel. "Finn, I am Rachel. If you can't tell, then something is off with you."

Before he could really lose it, Finn stepped back. "Mike, please take her into custody."

"What?" she shrilled. "I am your fiancée! You can't take me into custody; I didn't do anything!"

"You are not Rachel. You're a fake and I will prove it." He looked at Mike who was detaining the woman. "Whatever spell is on her can't last forever. Make sure she doesn't have anything on her and just wait it out if you have to."

Finn started for the door. "Where are you going your Majesty?" Mike asked with worry.

"I'm going to find Rachel." He stepped out of the room and went back to Brittany who was holding herself and crying. "Brittany, I know you're probably exhausted and want to find Artie right now but I need your help. We can't save Artie or Rachel without it. Can you help me?"

Brittany nodded and stood up. "What do you need me to do?"

"I need you to find me a unicorn."

Out in town, Puck was angrily searching for that dirtbag Jesse with no luck. No one had seen him around. It was as if he had just vanished with his baby. He was running low on options and considering going to the shadiest person he knew in the form of the Witch until a commotion on the street drew him out of his thoughts.

Standing there in broad daylight like it was an everyday occurrence was a beautiful and huge unicorn. He was whinnying and reeling almost trying to draw attention. Puck looked at the creature and wondered what the hell was going on. Unicorns never ventured into populated areas. They were forest dwellers and according to Brittany it was severely frowned upon in unicorn society for them to be seen.

He walked down the street closer to the unicorn and when it saw him standing in the crowd it began neighing and blowing air out at him. The unicorn nipped at him and shook his head and when he stared him in the eye Puck realized the unicorn was there for him.

"Me? You need me?"

The beast shook his head and turned his body to allow Puck to get on. Everyone around stared at Puck in awe, having never seen an event like this before, but he couldn't care about that. For some reason a unicorn needed him and when a magical creature as powerful as a unicorn allows you to hop on, you get your ass on that unicorn. Once situated, the unicorn reared up and neighed loudly to get people to clear a path then tore out of the area in the direction of the castle.

Puck had never been on a creature that could move so fast. Everything around him seemed to blur together until the only thing he could see were wisps of color. Then almost instantaneously they were in the stables back at the castle and Finn and Brittany were standing there talking quietly.

"Your Majesty, Brittany? What's going on?" Puck asked in confusion as he hopped off the unicorn.

Finn turned to Puck first. "Puck, did you find out anything?"

"Yeah, my baby's been stolen by the same dick who took Rachel. I just can't seem to find him."

"Beth was stolen?" Brittany asked sadly. She started crying again. "First Artie, then Rachel, now Beth; he's ruining everyone's lives."

"Whoa, what happened to Artie?"

Finn hugged Brittany to help console her. "This guy, he threatened to kill Artie if Brittany didn't help him then hid him and we don't know where he is."

Puck wanted to punch something but he knew that would probably only break his hand. "We need to find this creep. He doesn't seem to be anywhere! None of my informants have seen him since yesterday and everywhere he'd usually be has been a bust."

The unicorn Puck had ridden in on began neighing wildly. "What?" Brittany asked as she turned to him. "Nigel, are you sure?" He shook his head and Brittany lit up. "That would be wonderful! Thank you so much, Nigel!" She left Finn's embrace and hugged Nigel's neck before he took off from the stable.

"What did he say?"

"He's going to look for him. He's going to spread the word."

Puck looked unconvinced. "Why would a unicorn help us? They don't get involved in human problems."

"They do when they used to be the king's favorite horse," Brittany retorted. "Nigel may be a unicorn now but he still cares about all of us. And he liked Rachel when he met her. He knows Finn is sad without her and he wants to help."

"Wait, that unicorn is Nigel?" Puck was quite impressed. He was even more impressed when Nigel came trotting back into the stable and neighed loudly at Brittany. The pair had a conversation Puck and Finn only understood half of. Brittany only asked vague questions and gasped and oohed and ahhed in a few places.

Finn was growing impatient and wanted answers immediately. "Brittany! What is going on?"

"They don't know where Artie is but they have a lead on Beth and Rachel."

Rachel had no idea where she was going. All she knew was that Sue had returned, bound, gagged and blind folded her. She could hear snippets of conversation every so often and had discerned that she was being moved.

"But she would be fine at my cottage until the plan is completed!" Terri exclaimed nervously. She knew if Sue took her back to her castle the woman would find out about Rachel's pregnancy and then Terri would pay for lying about it.

"I need more control over this situation and I can't have it if the girl remains with you. If she is necessary for this potion, I won't kill her until absolutely necessary. My castle is a fortress and I can't have anything messing up my plot to take over."

"Moving her could be dangerous though, your Highness. What if something happens along the way?"

Sue stared at her making her feel about three inches tall. "You better make sure nothing happens to her then."

Terri just nodded quickly and swallowed. "Yes, your Highness."

Rachel could feel strong arms wrap around her body which she still was unable to move and lift her out of her seat. She was being carried through the cottage she was in until a slamming sound stopped the person in their tracks.

"I need your help," a voice said loudly. She could hear what sounded like a baby crying and her heart broke. Thoughts of her own baby floated into her head and she wondered if she'd ever even get to see the child she and Finn had made together. If Sue had her way, Rachel would be dead shortly and even if Sue found out she was pregnant she certainly wouldn't let Rachel live long enough after giving birth to do anything with the child. Either way she was dead without hope of ever getting to be a mother or a wife or even getting to see the man she loved again. Why didn't she just say yes?

Jesse had no other option. He knew Puckerman would look in all the usual places for him which meant he had nowhere to run. The Witch could help him though. She could hide them until Jesse could figure out what to do. He just needed to get her to agree. He stopped in his tracks however when he saw Sue there with a hulking guard behind her carrying a small body.

"Your Highness." He bowed his head a little and tried to calm his child down.

"St. James. Why am I not surprised to see you've stolen a baby?"

"She's my child and Quinn shouldn't have given her up."

"Let me guess, you want my help to hide you both now." Sue crossed her arms over her chest.

Jesse stared at the floor. "I was actually here to see the Witch. I thought she could help."

Terri sneered at him. "What makes you think I would help you? You've nothing to offer me."

"I could easily turn you in and blow up your entire operation."

"I'd like to see you try," she replied with a hint of humor in her voice.

"Would the both of you please shut your faces?" Sue said with frustration. "I actually have a job you can do for me, so if you want my help, come with me."

Sue led the way back out to her opulent carriage and motioned for Jesse and Terri to get in. Her hulking guard put Rachel in next to Terri and went around to the front to drive the carriage after helping Sue in.

"When I spoke with Lady Fabray last she said the plan was going smoothly. You've done well, Honey Badger."

Terri gulped and glanced over at Rachel who was sitting motionless. The carriage started moving leading Rachel away to her doom. She could only hope her Prince Charming could save her in time.

In the stables, Finn, Brittany and Puck were trying to formulate a plan. "Of course Sue is behind this. It's obviously one of her crazy plans that never work to get rid of me. I should have figured that from the beginning. It just doesn't make sense. Why would she need Rachel?"

"Who cares? We know where she and Beth are now! We should strike now!" Puck yelled. He wanted his baby back and to see that scum behind bars or possibly hanging at the gallows.

"We can't just storm in, Puck. Sue's castle is one of the most well protected places in the kingdom. We need to think before we act," Brittany replied surprising both of them. She wasn't known to be a master strategist.

Puck kicked a bucket full of oats. "Jesse knows where Artie is! Don't you want him back?"

"Of course I do, Puck, but we need to think about this. The whole point behind this is to get to Finn. He needs to stay safe."

Finn shook his head. "No, I need to find Rachel."

Brittany put her hand on his shoulder and forced him to look at her. "No, Finn, you need to stay safe. I know you love Rachel and we _will_ get her back, but you can't go into the lion's den. Sue wants you dead and that can't happen."

"She's right, your Majesty. With you dead, that would leave Sue in charge and that's the last thing anyone needs. You can't go with," Puck agreed. It was his job to protect Finn and if he allowed him to storm Sue's castle, he wouldn't be serving his purpose.

"But it's Rachel! I'm the reason she's in this mess! Sue is using her to get to me. I can't let her get hurt or…or worse because of me!" he roared back. Finn was getting emotional thinking about what Sue would do to Rachel. He could only assume it was nothing good. If anything happened to her, he wasn't sure what he would do.

Brittany looked at him sympathetically. "Finn, you can't go. You are the kingdom's only hope. Without you it will fall into evil hands and that would mean everyone would suffer."

"We will get Rachel back safe and sound, Finn. I promise you on my own life, she will come back alive and unharmed." Puck put his hand on Finn's shoulder and gripped it in a reassuring way.

Finn couldn't believe this. He wanted, needed, to save Rachel but he was being told he had to stay behind. He knew staying alive for the kingdom was important but if he had to die to save Rachel, he'd do it in a heartbeat. Knowing they wouldn't discuss a plan without him consenting to stay behind, Finn said he would. That did not mean he meant what he said.

Just then Mike ran into the building, panting wildly. "Your Majesty. The spell wore off. You won't believe who it is."

Intrigued to learn more about why Rachel was in this mess and who was in cahoots with Sue to overthrow him, Finn, Brittany and Puck all followed Mike to the dungeon. When they arrived, Finn was surprised to see a gorgeous blonde sitting in the cell wearing Rachel's clothing.

"Quinn?" He was stunned momentarily by the realization. "You?"

She rolled her eyes. "Me. So am I just going to rot in this cell for the rest of my life now?"

Finn stared at her in pain. "Why would you do this? Why are you working with Sue?"

"I want a lawyer."

"This isn't small claims, Quinn. You're working with a known criminal to overthrow the king. It's treason," Mike explained.

She stood up and walked over to the bars where they were all staring at her. "So that means I don't get a lawyer?"

"You don't deserve a lawyer. If Rachel dies because of you, there won't even be a trial," Finn sneered at her. He knew Quinn was a cutthroat bitch who would try nearly anything to weasel her way into a crown but he didn't think she would stoop so low as to work with Sue.

"Please, Rachel won't die. They need to keep her alive for the potion to work."

Finn relaxed a minute amount. At least she would be safe until they realized their plan had failed and he found out Quinn was pretending to be Rachel. They just needed to keep them from that realization for as long as possible. "Why are you working with Sue? What's her plan?"

"Why should I tell you anything? I'd lose every bargaining chip I have. You scratch my back, I'll scratch yours." She smiled sweetly at him which just made his blood boil even more.

"Tell me what you know and I'll let you live," Finn grunted.

Quinn snorted and chuckled. "You won't kill me. You don't have it in you." She held the bars in front of her and pressed her face in between them, taunting Finn with a small smile as she spoke. "You're just a giant puppy dog. All bark but zero bite. Now Sue-"

Before she could even voice her next thought, Finn's hand shot out and wrapped around her throat, squeezing as she began to gasp for air. "If you don't start talking I will-"

"Finn! Let go of her!" Brittany shrieked, attempting to unfurl Finn's fingers from around Quinn's neck. He held tighter and his teeth grit as Quinn struggled against him. "Think about what you're doing, Finn! You're better than her, better than Sue! Do you really think Rachel would like you if she saw what you were doing right now?"

At the mention of Rachel, Finn realized what he was doing and released his hold on Quinn. He took a step back and breathed in deeply as Quinn coughed trying to get some air. She clutched her throat and stared daggers at Finn.

His expression softened and he knelt down to look at Quinn who had collapsed onto the floor. "I will be willing to work with you if you help me. Please, if you're working with Sue you know what she is capable of. She may not kill Rachel right now but she will when she doesn't need her anymore. She'll do the same to you and anyone else involved in her plan. Once she's used you, you become nothing to her so there's no reason to keep you around. If you help me, I can stop her and save Rachel and Brittany's husband and Puck's daughter."

Quinn's eyes widened at the mention of Puck's daughter. "What happened to his daughter?" she asked frantically.

"She was kidnapped."

"He really did it…" Quinn whispered to herself.

Finn's eyebrows scrunched together. "Who really did what?"

Quinn stared at Puck who looked pissed off at the world and she understood exactly how he felt. She spoke directly to him. "If I help you, can you promise me that you will protect that little girl no matter what, raise her right and never let her feel sad or scared; that you will love her always?" Tears shone in her eyes as her voice quivered.

"I'd give my life for her. I love Beth more than anything in this world."

Quinn nodded her head lightly and stared around at the group. She wanted what was best for her daughter which was why she gave her up. If Jesse had her, she would be in constant danger and fear. "What do you want to know?"

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><p>So I'm thinking one more chapter and an epilogue. We're getting close to the finish.<p> 


	15. Prince Charming to the Rescue

Yay! An update finally! And I lied, there is one more chapter after this one and then the epilogue. I hope this was worth the wait. Enjoy! :D

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><p>"I just wanted to be queen. I never wanted to harm anyone. I knew Sue planned to use me to kill the King but I was never going to go through with that part. I really did want to be with you, your Majesty; what woman in the kingdom wouldn't?" Quinn started to explain to the group.<p>

"Why should we believe anything you say? You're clearly a liar and you're working with Sue," Puck spit at her.

She glared back at him. "I was trying to get away from my mother and my old life. Once I was married to Finn I was going to confess Sue's plot to him and help him capture her. It was the only way to start over."

Finn shook his head in confusion. "Why would you need to start over? What did you do?"

"I got pregnant. Puckerman's daughter is my baby. That's why Jesse took her. He was a servant in my home and he was quite charming. Charmed me all the way into bed. My father was furious when he discovered I was pregnant. He was going to kill Jesse and throw me out of the house but my mother intervened. She killed my father. She tried to make it look like an accident but everyone knew. My mother was going to go to jail or worse and I was going to be stuck alone on the street with an unwanted child. Then she went to Sue and traded whatever we had to offer for protection. Sue made the law disappear and we were to continue our cushy lifestyle. I couldn't keep my baby though for her plan to work. Jesse offered to take her but I knew that wasn't an option. He had nothing more than I did. So Sue found her a home. Neither of us knew where she had ended up and Jesse was furious that I wouldn't let him have her or even see her. Sue made sure Jesse would never find her and would stay away but then we needed to find Rachel for the new plan to work. My mother traded the promise of reunion with our child for his ability to find people. She figured he was desperate enough to agree and he was; which is why your baby, your husband and Rachel are all in danger." Quinn looked at each of them in turn. "I never wanted anyone to get hurt."

"Well, it's a little late for that," Puck said in response to her story.

Finn looked at him. "Puck, we all have people on the line right now. Instead of using our energy to blame Quinn, let's use what she knows to get everyone back alive, okay?"

"Finn's right. We can't change the past. We can save the future though. Let's make a plan," Brittany chimed in.

"I say we take all our forces and storm her castle. We could take it," Puck offered unhelpfully.

Quinn rolled her eyes. "Are you an idiot? It's not a sandcastle you can just kick over. Sue's castle is a fortress and any show of strength against it will fail and quite miserably. Your men will be bowled over in minutes before even getting near the gate," she barked at him. "You'll need cunning and stealth to get inside and most importantly…me."

Mike perked up as Puck snorted. "Why do we need you? We can't trust you."

She whipped her head in Mike's direction to bore her gaze into him. "The baby girl I gave up to protect from a criminal asshole is now in the hands of that criminal asshole. You can trust that I will do whatever necessary to get her back and to safety. Plus, I already have a plan to get us inside if you would stop interrupting me and let me finish," she growled lowly at them. "As far as Sue knows everything is going according to plan. She has no idea we've been found out as I broke her only looking glass. We're supposed to meet tonight for an update. Usually we meet in a secluded area but I can arrive to her castle and make up some excuse. I doesn't matter what, we just need to get in.

"What do we do when we get in then? How do we know where to find Jesse and Rachel?" Brittany asked worriedly.

"During my pregnancy while I stayed with Sue, I got bored a lot and would go for walks throughout her castle. I know the place like the back of my hand. If I can have a pen and paper I can map out the routes that will best hide you after I help you get in. As for where Rachel and Jesse will be…Rachel is a prisoner. She'll be in the dungeon. Jesse will be the tricky one. Damn it! Why did I have to break that looking glass?"

"Did Nigel hear anything else or just that they were moving Rachel and Jesse was with them?" Finn asked. Brittany shook her head no solemnly.

"Wait a minute." Mike paced around, a growing smile on his face. "Doesn't Professor Schuester have a looking glass? We could use it to find everyone and navigate better."

Finn's face lit up. "That's right! He does! Mike, go ask to use it, Puck, start arming up. We'll need reinforcements for once we're in. Brittany-"

"You're not going, Finn. We discussed this," Puck cut in, dampening Finn's slightly improved mood.

"I have to go, Puck. With Professor Schuester's looking glass we'll know exactly where everyone is and will be able to see anyone coming. I will be fine."

Puck, Brittany and Mike all protested. "Finn, even with the looking glass it isn't safe. You need to stay safe," Brittany said softly, trying to reason with him.

"Well why do you all get to sacrifice yourselves for the ones you love but I can't? Just because I'm the king-"

"Because you're the king, Finn!" Puck yelled at him. "And we aren't sacrificing anyone. We're going to get in and get everyone out. We just can't take the chance that something may go wrong. You have to stay here. Do not make me leave behind guards to watch you."

Finn slammed his fist into the wall and gritted his teeth as he took a deep breath through his nose. He did not want to get left behind. He was going to get Rachel back himself; it would just be a lot easier if he didn't have to sneak behind everyone's back to do it. "Fine. I will stay here."

"Alright then. Mike, go talk to Schuester, I'm gonna go rally the troops and get armed up, Brittany keep an eye on Quinn and if she tries anything funny, punch her."

"Oh that's your big plan to keep me in line? Punch me?" she yelled at Puck as he and Mike walked past her and toward the stairwell out of the dungeon. "Wait, are you just leaving me in here?"

Finn and Brittany shared a look before Finn took the key from her. "You need to get ready to meet with Sue. Brittany will keep an eye on you though. You're not going anywhere alone." He let Quinn out of the cell and led the way out of the dungeon.

"I'll need a few things to get ready."

"And what is that exactly?" Finn grumbled.

"I'll need my bag I came with. It has my clothes in it. I refuse to leave the castle wearing this." She pointed at Rachel's clothing which was a little too small and didn't look right on her. Finn really liked the way Rachel dressed but it did not suit Quinn at all.

They made it to Finn's bedroom where Quinn's things were and Brittany covered her as she changed. They reconvened down in the Great Hall where Mike was arriving back with the looking glass. "He only has one so we'll need to be careful with it. Where's Puck? He'll need to see where everyone is too."

"He's in the armory getting his men ready. Why don't you and Brittany go there and get yourselves ready? I can watch Quinn and we can all meet back here before you go," Finn suggested. Mike looked skeptical at leaving Finn alone with the prisoner but did as requested. When he and Brittany were gone Finn turned to Quinn. "You have to help me get into Sue's castle without Sue or Puck knowing. I have to save Rachel. If you help me, I can promise you a fresh start away from Sue, from Jesse, from everyone; I can give you a new identity if you want. You just need to help me."

Quinn eyed him up and down. "You really love this woman you've only just met so much so you're willing to put your life and your kingdom on the line for her?"

"I'd do anything for her. I just…I have to save her. Please help me."

She nodded and dug around in her bag. "Here…" She handed him a shard of glass. "It _is_ broken and doesn't show the whole picture anymore but it's better than nothing. You'll at least get a glimpse of where everyone is." He looked into the glass to see it was a mirror, except instead of his eyes staring back at him he saw fog. "Just say the name of who you want to see and it'll show you them wherever they are."

Finn looked at the glass. "Rachel." The fog cleared from the glass and he saw Rachel, back against a wall, holding her legs, crying. The image started to waver until it disappeared. "What happened? I wasn't done."

"I told you, it's broken. It won't last long but it should help. Now, if you want to get in undetected, you'll have to take a different way in from the one I'll lead Puckerman and his group to. I need some paper and something to write with."

Finn led Quinn into an antechamber off the main hall. He went to the desk and pulled out some paper and feather quill and ink. Quinn drew a map of the grounds of Sue's castle and explained the best way in for a single man. "It's a fortress against an army but there are cracks that allow people in and out without detection. Sue never knows when she may have to run and keeps these open. The passage you'll want to use to get to Rachel is this one. It leads directly to the dungeons."

Quinn pointed to a river she had drawn on the grounds. "That's a river. How does that help me?"

"It's a river that flows under her castle. There's a tunnel through it that leads to the dungeon. It's how she gets her dead out without anyone noticing the bodies. The entrance marker is subtle and isn't even technically on her grounds. It's about a mile out and a large cropping of boulders."

"A mile? I'll have to go a mile underground to get in?"

Quinn glared at him. "You could always try knocking on the front door and see how that works out for you. Look! I am giving you a straight shot into where Rachel will be kept. Take it or leave it!"

"Alright. Calm down." Finn picked up the map. "You don't happen to know the layout of the dungeon do you?"

Quinn ripped the paper from his hands and drew the dungeon to the best of her ability. "I can't get any more specific than that. Now you better hide that map if you don't want Puckerman and your other friends to know what you're up to." Finn nodded and folded the paper before slipping it into his pocket. "We should see if they're ready yet."

They walked back out to the main hall and waited only a few minutes before Puck, Mike and Brittany returned with a large group of more of Finn's men. "Alright, we need that map now so we can find everyone. We brought paper and a pen for you," Puck said as one of the other men slammed a table down in the center of the room for Quinn to draw the map on. "Quickly now, we haven't got all day."

She narrowed her eyes at him before beginning to draw the grounds again for everyone else. "Sue's security is tight and nearly impossible to penetrate but like anything, it has its weak spots." She glanced at Finn quickly before looking to Puck and his group. "You'll want to take the forest passage. It's the way servants get in and out as Sue will not have them seen in the front. Besides me, only the servants know about it and they won't talk if they see you entering. They hate Sue more than anyone and would gladly see her fall." She pointed it out on the map where it would be located. "The entrance marker is a Y-shaped tree. There's a knot in the tree that you press and it splits the tree. You should be able to get a decent amount of people in without detection. Once you're in…that's the hard part. It's even harder to be stealthy inside as Sue has eyes everywhere. But she has her passages which most don't even know about that aren't guarded or watched. As I'll be occupying Sue's time, they'll be free to move through." She mapped them out and explained how to access them. "We'll need to see where everyone is located now then you should probably check once more upon arrival since they may move."

Brittany ripped the looking glass from Mike's hands and asked to see Artie. The fog in the glass cleared and revealed her husband, sweaty and dirty in a dark place. He was still alive though. Brittany started crying at how pained he looked. She couldn't discern where he was located however. It looked like a dark hole.

Puck took the glass from her and asked to see Beth first. She was in a crib asleep peacefully and unharmed. "That's the nursery. It's on the second floor."

"Why does Sue have a nursery?" Finn asked, surprised that his aunt would have one. She hated children and last he heard she couldn't even have them.

"It's where Beth stayed before Sue found her a home," Quinn explained a little sadly.

Finn still didn't get it. "It still doesn't make sense why she would keep it."

"Does it really matter? We know where she is now. Let's find Jesse," Puck said as the mirror showed them Jesse. He was speaking with Sue and another woman. "That's the Witch. We forgot to take her into account."

"Leave her to me. She'll be with Sue and preoccupied. I will need more potion from her after all. It looks like they're in Sue's study. That will be where I meet with Sue. Stay away from there." Quinn looked around at everyone.

"But how do we get Jesse if he's in there?"

"He won't be in there when I arrive. Sue won't allow him to be. That's why you'll need to check where everyone is again when you get there." She yanked the mirror from Puck and handed it to Finn. "Now you can check on Rachel."

Finn said her name and watched as the fog cleared. She was in the same position as she was before, still crying, but he could see more of her surroundings now. It looked dark and dank and beyond unfriendly. He wanted to leave now and go to her but he knew if he tried Puck would tie him up and post guards on either side of him. He needed a little patience then he could make a break for it.

"Alright, we know where everyone is now or at least everyone in the castle." Puck looked at Brittany who was still crying and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Once we get Jesse we'll find Artie. We'll get him back Brittany." She nodded and tried to dry her tears. "Why don't you tell us the best routes to get to all these places now?"

Quinn helped them map out how to get to each room in turn and handed over the map to use in the event anyone moved. They made sure everyone was prepared to go where they needed to before Finn asked Quinn how she was to get to Sue's. "You can't exactly show up on a guard's horse or something."

"I have a man waiting for me to take me to the usual location. I'll just tell him plans have changed and go to the castle. Watch me in the mirror. Once I'm in the meeting with Sue, then you can enter. You'll need to move fast though. Our meetings don't always last that long."

Everyone nodded at her. "Okay, let's do this." Puck gripped Quinn's arm. "If you betray us in any way, I'll see to it that you never see the light of day again. Understand me?"

Quinn gulped and shook her head. "I promise. I won't betray you."

"I'll walk you out." Puck sent Mike to lead his men to the stables to get their horses leaving Finn, Brittany, Puck and Quinn alone. "Your Majesty, we'll get her back. I swear." Finn could only nod. "We'll be back soon."

They left the room and Finn sat alone holding his head. When he was sure no one was around he went back upstairs to change and watched from his balcony as Puck and his men rode out to save their loved ones and stop Sue's plan. When they were blips in the distance he grabbed his sword from the armory and headed to the stables. He found Rodney there who was surprisingly antsy. He tried talking him down and into a saddle but he refused.

"Rodney, I need to save Rachel. You need to help me." Rodney shook his head at Finn again. It was like he knew Finn wasn't supposed to leave the castle and was trying to stop him. Then he heard a loud neigh from behind him. Finn whipped around and found Nigel in the stable. He shook his head at him before lowering himself so Finn could hop on. Finn smiled at his old horse and quickly got on sans saddle. Rodney didn't look happy but he wasn't stupid. He'd never last in a fight against a unicorn and therefore didn't protest.

Finn rode out fast and prayed that he'd get to Rachel before something even worse could happen to her than being locked in a dungeon cell.

Inside that dungeon cell, Rachel had been crying all day. Her eyes hurt and her vision was horribly blurry. She had been thrown in there to rot after their journey from the Witch's cottage having no one else around her and no visitors since the burly guard literally tossed her in the cell. The only advantage she had at Sue's was that she at least had control over her body again and some space to walk around. It wasn't much but it was a little better than being tied to a chair.

She was so tired and drained and hungry and worried. How long had it been since she had been free and with Finn? Was it even 24 hours yet? She couldn't be sure with how time passed when moving between worlds. Rachel missed him so much and wanted nothing more than to be held in his arms again, to kiss him and stare into his whiskey eyes and count the freckles on his face and look at those cute dimples of his. Her hand moved to her abdomen where she cradled herself wondering what their baby would look like. Would he or she have freckles and dimples and whiskey eyes? Rachel smiled at the thought of their baby looking like Finn. She hoped he or she would.

A loud clanging sound broke Rachel out of her thoughts on her and Finn's unborn child and she looked up to see light flooding the area. More light filled the space as a torch went around lighting lamps throughout the crusty hallway. Rachel shied away into the shadow more, scared that someone was coming for her. She was surprised when she saw a man with curly brown hair and piercing blue eyes standing in front of her cell carrying a tray of food.

"Hungry?" he asked. She recognized the voice. It was the man who had come in with the baby before. When Rachel didn't make a move he sighed exasperatedly. "It's not poisoned. They won't kill you…yet. They need you for their grand scheme. When they're ready to off you, you'll know." He smiled at her, trying to comfort her, but it wasn't really having the effect he hoped for. "Fine, I'll leave it here and you can eat when you're ready."

The man placed it on the floor and stepped back about to exit. "Wait," Rachel said quietly. She cleared her throat as the sound came out a little roughly. "Wait." The man stopped and moved closer to the cell, crossing his arms over his chest. "Why are you doing this? Why are you working with them?"

"That's really none of your concern."

"I think it became my concern when I got kidnapped." She didn't know with certainty but Rachel was pretty sure he was the man who had kidnapped her. She just had a feeling.

He ran his hand through his hair and chuckled a little sheepishly. "Yeah, sorry about that. It wasn't anything personal."

"Nothing personal? You bludgeoned my friend over the head and _kidnapped_ me! That's pretty damn personal!" she yelled at him.

"Look, I just wanted my baby back. I saw a chance to get her and I took it. I'm sorry you had to get kidnapped in the process. Like I said, it wasn't anything personal."

Rachel huffed sourly. "You ruined my life and you're helping to kill the king. Doesn't that bother you at all?"

The man shrugged and shook his head. "Not really. I don't know you and I've never liked the king. I think he's an idiot and incapable of ruling this kingdom."

"Oh and Sue is a better option? You don't know anything-"

"And you do? You aren't even from here! What makes you think you know anything about how our world works?" he barked at her harshly.

Rachel got to her feet and stepped forward. "You think your world is so different from mine? You're just as pathetic and petty as people where I'm from. I see no difference between you and them."

The man picked up Rachel's food tray and started walking away. "You waited too long. Now you don't get anything to eat." He put out the torches so Rachel was draped in darkness again and started for the door.

"You're just proving my point!" she yelled at him as he slammed the door, cutting off all the light except for the few rays streaming in through the tiny windows in the cell opposite Rachel's.

She pouted as she walked back to the wall to sit down again. Just as she sat the door opened once more and in walked Terri with the tray and another lit torch. She reignited the others and slid the tray of food under the cell door. "You need to eat. I _persuaded_ Jesse to hand over the tray. Don't waste the food. That baby needs all it can get." She walked back out through the door and closed it behind her.

Rachel moved to grab the food and found beef stew, bread and some water. She took the water and pushed the food away. There was no way she could eat all that. Rachel had been a vegan since she was 16 and she wasn't going to change that now just because she was locked in a dungeon…although that stew smelled really good. Since when did meat smell good? She drank the water and eyed the food, pushing it further away with her foot. When the water was gone however the urge to eat the food overpowered her and she practically inhaled it.

Rachel never thought she'd enjoy the taste of meat but the stew was fantastic. It made her feel warm and fuzzy inside and suddenly she realized why it smelled and tasted so good, she was pregnant. Apparently the kid was a meat-eater and was insistent on making her one as well.

The door slammed open again and the man from before came in. "Are you done?" he growled at her. She pulled the bread off the tray and shoved it back to him.

"So is this your job now? To bring me food?"

"What?" He looked at her not understanding.

"At the Witch's cottage Sue said she had a job for you. Is this it? To watch after me?" By his nostrils flaring and the way he stiffened Rachel figured she was right. "I hope it was worth it to steal an innocent child from its parents."

"I'm her parent! I am her father and Quinn should have given her to me, not some strangers who don't deserve her!"

"I don't know; seems to me like she made the right choice to give her up instead of giving her to you."

"Shut up!" He blacked out the lamps again and left Rachel alone in darkness once more.

She leaned back against the wall and rubbed her stomach absent-mindedly. "Don't worry, baby, your Daddy would never be that mean." She felt much warmer suddenly at the mention of Finn and found herself drifting into sleep as thoughts of her man filled her brain.

Outside the door to the dungeon, Jesse was seething in anger. He shouldn't feel bad for taking back his child. She was his and he had every right to her, but for some reason he couldn't shake the feeling that maybe what he was doing to her wasn't so good. After all, what did he have to offer? He was a criminal who could barely take care of himself most days. How could he take care of a needy child?

Jesse shook the thoughts from his head and went back upstairs. As he walked past Sue's study he found Quinn, Lady Fabray, the Witch and Sue talking quickly and in hushed tones. He stared at the woman he once thought he might have loved. She had been the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen and he had to have her so he did. Then he found out she was pregnant. At first he was over the moon; they were making plans for the future and were going to be together as a family, but then her father found out and everything changed, she changed.

Quinn had ripped his heart out and stomped all over it when she told him she was giving up their baby and didn't want to see him anymore. He begged her to change her mind but she was steadfast in her decision. Then she made it impossible for him to even see his child much less get to keep her. If Rachel wanted to blame anyone for the state of her life at the moment she should blame Quinn. If she had just done what he asked in the first place, he never would have needed to kidnap Rachel.

He made a small noise as he shifted his weight and suddenly all four women's angry eyes were on him before the door slammed shut on its own. With nothing better to do he decided to check on his baby and make sure she was okay. As he ascended the stairs he could hear some shuffling sounds that should not have been coming from where they were. Then he saw a mohawked man walk out of the nursery with his daughter in his arms, holding her protectively.

Jesse's eyes widened as he realized Puckerman had found him. Without thinking further he turned the other way and started yelling, "Guard! Intruders! We have intruders!" He ran down the stairs and found one of Sue's guards. "We have intruders! Puckerman is here and I'm going to bet there are more men with him." The guard immediately went into defensive mode and called everyone else to arms. Jesse went to alert Sue but was abruptly pulled into the wall and silenced by a rag over the mouth.

Inside Sue's study, the women were discussing the next phase of the plan when a guard burst through the door. "Your Highness, we have a breech in security. Puckerman is here and heading for the girl."

Sue's face hardened and she stood up and turned to the wall directly behind her desk. She pressed on a panel and it slid open. "All of you follow me." The women followed behind Sue, Quinn bringing up the rear, grabbing the thin knife she knew Sue kept just under her desk before slipping into the door and shutting it behind her.

They walked silently through the passageway and Quinn hoped to herself that none of Finn's party would happen to be using the same hidden hallway. They made it to the spiral stairwell that led directly to the dungeon and took the stairs down quickly. They exited right at the entrance to the dungeon and burst through the door awakening Rachel from her semi-peaceful slumber.

Rachel stared at her captors questioningly and was surprised to find Quinn with them. Sue opened the cell door and dragged Rachel out of the small room. "What is going on?" Rachel asked in a small voice. Every other time she'd been moved she was incapacitated.

"We're moving you." Sue and the others moved swiftly down the hallway.

"Where?"

"The graveyard," Sue answered menacingly.

Rachel's eyes widened as her words sank in and Terri started getting hysterical. "Your Highness, you can't kill her! The potion-"

"Is pointless. If Puckerman is here that means the plan is shot. They know and we no longer need her…or you two for that matter." Sue turned around and plunged an unseen knife into Lady Fabray's stomach. The women froze and Lady Fabray looked down at her stomach as Sue withdrew the knife. Quinn caught her mother as she stumbled backward, clutching her bleeding stomach. "It's nothing personal. I just don't need you anymore and you both know too much."

Before she could defend herself, Sue stabbed Quinn in the side. "Sorry Q. You failed me though and I don't accept failure." She smirked at the girl before pulling her knife from her body and watching her and her mother fall against the wall. "And now you…" She turned back to Rachel and was about to stab her in the abdomen as she had the other women until a booming voice shocked her into stopping.

"Drop the knife, Sue! She isn't the one you want," Finn yelled as he emerged from a hole in the floor, sword drawn. If Rachel wasn't so incredibly terrified, she'd be completely turned on by how hot he looked in his armor and with his sword.

Sue spun Rachel around so her back was to her chest and held her against her, holding the knife to her side, digging it in a little. "How did you know about that little passageway of mine?" Sue asked.

"You're not the only one with your spies, Aunt Sue."

"Finn!" Rachel cried out before Sue dug the knife into her side more.

"Be quiet!"

"Rachel, baby, just remain calm. I'm going to get you out of this."

Sue snorted and laughed without humor. "Please, you? You couldn't fight your way out of a burlap sack. Now, let me leave or I'll have no choice but to let you watch your little lovebird bleed to death on my floor. Your call…"

Finn swallowed and tried not to let his eyes flicker to Quinn who he could see crawling toward them, knife in hand. "Okay. Just put the knife down and hand Rachel over to me unharmed and I will let you live to fight another day. Just hand her over." He put his hand out and waved it to signal for Sue to let her go.

"Check them all! She's gotta be here!" Puck's voice yelled from down the hall.

Sue was growing more panicked as she looked behind her. She was trapped. Finn was blocking her secret passage out and Puckerman and his goons were at the other end blocking the only other way out. "You want her, you can have her." She stuck her knife all the way in and twisted it making Rachel scream in pain and drop to the floor as Sue dropped her, ripping the knife from her body.

Everything seemed to move in slow motion as Finn watched Rachel scream in agony as the knife pierced her skin. He saw Sue move to the right and he could have easily stopped her from escaping but he didn't really care about her anymore. Instead, Finn dropped his sword and ran to Rachel who was falling to the floor. As he got to her, a knife flew past his head and he watched its trajectory. It flew right at Sue's back and stabbed her square between the shoulder blades. She fell to the floor face first and stopped moving completely. Finn looked back at where the knife had come from just in time to see Quinn collapse back onto the floor holding her side.

Time sped up again as Finn looked back at Rachel and held her body against his. She was staring up at him smiling through her pain. He moved his hand down to the knife wound and she screamed a little as he tried to move her tattered and dirty nightgown to look at her wound and stopped. But then he noticed her blood…it was blue. He looked up as the Witch came over and knelt down next to Rachel.

"We need to stop the bleeding. Oh my…" The woman grabbed at her hair and looked like she was trying not to cry.

"Why is her blood blue?" Finn asked as his eyes started to burn with unshed tears.

The Witch ignored him and tried to apply pressure to Rachel's wound. She screamed again.

"What the hell?" Puck said in shock as he entered the area they were all sitting in. He found Quinn passed out on the floor but still very much alive. "Mike, help her. I gotta check Sue."

Finn was unconcerned with everyone else at the moment however. "Is she going to be okay? You have to fix her! You have to stop the bleeding!" he yelled at the Witch.

"I am trying! I don't have anything with me to help though."

"You're a witch! Say a spell or something."

"I can't! It doesn't work that way! For a wound like this she needs more than a spell. Sue hit major organs; I'm so sorry." Tears began to spill from her eyes.

"Finn," Rachel lifted her hand and caressed his face and he held his hand over hers, "I thought I would never see you again."

"I'm here now. You'll be okay." He looked at Terri again. "Please, you have to do something."

"There's nothing I can do." Finn started crying and he held Rachel tighter. "This doesn't make sense," she muttered to herself over and over again.

"She's still alive!" Puck called from over by Sue's body. "Barely, we need to get her and Quinn out of here before they both die. Unfortunately there's nothing we can do for Lady Fabray. She's gone. We caught Jesse though. I know this is hard right now, your Majesty, but we saved Artie and Beth and Sue isn't a threat anymore." He tried to place a comforting hand on Finn's back but was shoved away.

"Don't," Finn growled. He looked up at Puck through his tears. "Do what you need to do and leave me alone."

Puck just nodded at him and got some men to carry Sue, Quinn and Lady Fabray out of the dungeon. Puck watched as his friend clutched Rachel to his chest and cry silently. "If there's nothing you can do for her you'll have to come with me. We have to take you into custody." Terri was so upset for Finn and Rachel and their unborn baby she didn't even protest when Puck put shackles on her and walked her out of the dungeon.

Finally, Finn and Rachel were left alone. He stared at her and she smiled up at him. "I'm so sorry, Finn," she whispered to him.

"You don't have to be sorry for anything. This isn't your fault."

"I'm sorry I didn't say yes. I should have said yes." Rachel started crying more and Finn let out a loud sob that he couldn't keep at bay. "I love you, Finn. I really do love you."

"I love you, Rachel." He kissed her fiercely and pulled away to hug her again. They stayed quiet, nothing but the sounds of Finn's crying as Rachel's eyes slipped closed. Finn could feel when she stopped breathing and let out another loud sob.

He sat on the floor holding her limp body until the torches that had been lit burned out. The only light came from the moon above through the small windows that allowed in minimal air. He stared at her dried blood on his hand and on the floor and noticed that it sparkled and had a slight glow to it in the darkness. Finn didn't understand why her blood was blue but he supposed it didn't really matter now.

As the moon rose higher, the beams of light shifted and hit Rachel's face. It made her look like she was only asleep and would wake up any minute but Finn knew she wouldn't wake up ever again. He knew they couldn't stay in that dungeon forever. Rachel deserved better and Finn would make sure she got the best in death if she couldn't have it in life. He shifted her in his arms to stand up and as he did so he noticed that her stomach didn't look so bad anymore. It must have been a trick of the light but he could swear it was like the wound had healed itself. That was impossible though. He needed to accept that Rachel was gone, that the woman he loved was not coming back.

He got on his feet and felt a fresh wave of tears hit him when Rachel's limbs dangled lifelessly as he carried her down the hall to the door. He had made it up the stairs before he fell against the wall and slid to the floor to stop and cry again. Rachel couldn't be gone, not when he had just gotten her back. She didn't even look like she was dead. She really could have just been asleep. There was color in her cheeks and she was warm still. Finn couldn't help himself as he leaned down to kiss her one more time.

As he pulled away, Rachel's eyes flew open and she gasped for air. She started coughing and rolled out of Finn's arms onto the floor. She pushed herself up on her hands and knees and took deep breaths as Finn stared at her completely dumbfounded. Her hair flew back as she sat up and clutched at her chest. Rachel could feel her heart beating in her chest again and she could move again. Her hand slid to where she had been stabbed and found nothing there but clean and unmarred skin. She looked back up at Finn who was still sitting against the wall in shock. Rachel smiled at him.

"Hi," she said as she sat back on her haunches.

Finn looked around like he was possibly seeing things. "You were just dead then came back to life and the first thing you say to me is 'hi'?" he asked incredulously. Rachel smiled sheepishly and was about to say something else but the thought flew out of her head as Finn picked her up and spun her around, kissing her everywhere he could reach. "I love you, I love you, I love you, so much. I thought you were dead. I mean, you were dead. Why aren't you dead anymore?"

Rachel couldn't help the giggle that escaped her mouth. "It must be the magic in me because I wasn't ever really dead. I don't know, it was weird; I was alive but I couldn't do anything. I couldn't move, my heart wasn't beating, I couldn't breathe but I could hear everything and I could feel everything. I could feel my body healing. Then you kissed me and it was like everything switched back on." She stared at Finn lovingly and kissed him again. "I love you so much, Finn. I really didn't think I'd ever get to see you again."

"I love you and I'm never leaving you again. I don't care if you kick and scream at me to leave you alone, I won't. I'm not losing you again."

"Well that's a really good thing because I do not plan on ever letting you go. If that proposal is still on the table I'd really like to say yes."

Finn nodded and smiled at her. "Rachel Berry, will you marry me?"

"Yes, a million times yes, Finn." She pulled his head to hers and kissed him deeply. He spun her around again and smiled against her lips before pulling away and pressing his forehead to hers. He drew back however and his brows pulled together.

"What do you mean by 'the magic in you'?"

Rachel bit her lip, a little embarrassed for some reason. She motioned for Finn to put her down and stared up at him. "Well, as you may have noticed my blood is blue."

"Yes, I did notice."

"Do you know the only two kinds of people who have blue blood are people who were conceived in the Crystal Lake and their mothers while they're pregnant with them?" She stood there biting her lip waiting for Finn to understand. As he realized what she was saying, he lit up and a huge smile spread across his face.

He kissed her again and picked her back up. "You're pregnant?" he screamed in joy. "I can't believe you're pregnant. But why is your blood blue?"

Rachel shrugged. "Terri, the Witch, she says that it's because of how magical the lake is. Apparently we're going to have a very magical child. It seems they didn't really want Mommy dying and saved me."

"Smart little tyke. Daddy didn't really want Mommy dying either." She giggled as he kissed her again and began carrying her down the hall to get out of that wretched castle. "I can't believe it. We're going to be a family."

"Yep, we sure are."

"And you're sure you want to stay with me here in McKinley? I know it's not New York but…"

She smiled again and leaned forward to give him a gentle kiss. "I wouldn't want it any other way."


	16. I Promise You

As Rachel stared at herself in the mirror she thought back on the past two weeks of her life. It had been a whirlwind of romance, happiness, terror, worry, heartache, and most importantly, love.

To say everyone was a little surprised when Finn arrived back at the castle with a completely unscathed and living Rachel was a huge understatement. Kurt fainted as he thought he was seeing a ghost, Puck went a little crazy and drew his sword on her thinking she was a zombie and Carole bawled her eyes out and scolded Finn for disobeying Puck's orders to stay behind but then attacked his cheeks with kisses because he ended up stopping Sue then hugged Rachel so tight she was afraid her eyeballs might pop out. Everyone was thoroughly confused as to how and why Rachel was still alive so they consulted the Witch.

_Rachel rolled her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest. "What did you do with the Witch?"_

"_Why do you need to know? Are you two working together?" Puck was sure Rachel was a zombie that had been brought back to life just to kill everyone._

_Finn intervened. "Get the Witch."_

_Puck stared at Finn and wondered if Rachel had him under some weird spell or something. What could they possibly want or need from the Witch? Cautiously, he sent Mike to bring her from dungeon where she was being held until they could find a more secure location for her. Twenty minutes later, Finn, Rachel, Puck, Queen Carole, and Kurt were all in the small antechamber off the main hall waiting for Mike to bring in the Witch._

"_What does the King need me fo – you're alive!" Terri crowed as she saw Rachel standing next to Finn when Mike brought her into the room. "I was right!"_

"_Right about what exactly? That your spell to bring her back to life to kill the King worked?" Puck snarled at her._

_Rachel scoffed and rolled her eyes as she looked from Finn to Puck. "Don't you think if I were brought back to life to kill Finn I'd have done it at Sue's castle when we were completely alone and everyone thought I was dead?" Rachel asked blowing a giant hole through his logic. Puck wanted to protest but then stopped himself when he realized that made sense._

"_That's an appropriate hairstyle for you since it makes you look just as stupid as you are," Terri responded to Puck's anger. He wanted to say to hell with it and toss her back in the dungeon but Finn got them back on track._

"_Why don't you just explain to us why exactly Rachel is still alive? What were you right about?"_

_Terri motioned to the chair to ask if she could sit and did so. "I'll assume Rachel explained to you that she's pregnant by now…" The room went into an uproar at her words and it took Finn's shouting to get Puck to stop muttering about zombie spawn, Kurt to calm down about decorating the nursery, and get his mother to stop crying and hugging Rachel and kissing his cheek. Once the commotion died, Terri continued. "Anyway, what did she tell you about your future little bundle of joy?"_

_Finn looked down at Rachel. "Rachel said that the baby's magical because of the Crystal Lake."_

"_Precisely. Children from the Crystal Lake aren't exactly a dime a dozen. They're special and generally quite powerful. I assumed the magic inside Rachel would have protected her but she was losing so much blood I wasn't sure it would. It appears I was wrong however." She smiled at Rachel __and folded her hands together. "Your baby saved Rachel from death. It just took a little longer due to the massive blood loss she suffered. Judging by this event, I'd say you're pretty much invincible, at least until you give birth, since his or her magic will only grow with time."_

"_So, wait…Rachel isn't a zombie?" Puck asked like an idiot._

"_No. She is not. Rachel is perfectly fine…even more so actually, unlike your hair. What in the world makes you think it's appropriate to keep a weasel on your head?"_

"_That's it! Back to the dungeon with you!" Puck picked Terri up out of the chair and he and Mike took her back down to her cell while Finn, Rachel, Carole and Kurt remained in the room._

"_My baby is finally having a baby!" Carole exclaimed giddily before pulling Finn and Rachel both into a giant hug. "Oh my goodness, this means there is so much to do! We have to set up the nursery and oh goodness! You two aren't even married yet! We must get you married immediately! Kurt!"_

"_I'm already on it your Majesty." He whipped a tape measure out from inside his coat pocket and began taking Rachel's measurements for the wedding dress he'd need to oversee the designing and making of._

"_Um, Mom, Rachel was just kidnapped, held prisoner and nearly died. Can we maybe start worrying about measurements and place settings tomorrow? She needs to rest."_

"_Of course. Of course, I'm sorry. I'm just so excited!" She kissed Finn's cheek again and hugged Rachel once more before beginning to cry again. "Go rest and take care of yourself. Kurt and I will take care of making sure you and Finn have the wedding of the century." Carole shooed them out of the room and began babbling about color schemes and flower arrangements that would be nice with Kurt._

After it was settled that Rachel was not a monster back from the dead, Finn and Rachel were left to themselves and ventured back to Finn's wing of the castle.

_Finally alone and uninterrupted, Finn picked Rachel up once more and carried her upstairs. He took care of drawing a bath for her and helped her in before remembering he forgot something. Finn came back in a few minutes later and joined her in the tub._

"_What did you forget?" Rachel asked when he was comfortably behind her, holding her._

"_This," he revealed her engagement ring and held it up for her. "I thought it was time to finally put it right where it belonged on your very pretty little hand."_

_Rachel turned in his arms and leaned up to kiss him before allowing him to slip the beautiful starburst diamond onto her finger. She lifted her hand and admired it before snuggling back against Finn again. "It's beautiful. I love it and I love you and I'm so sorry for how I reacted before."_

"_It's okay. You're here now, safe and beautiful and mine."_

"_No, it's not okay, Finn. You were right when you said I was scared. I've never been as happy as I am with you and it terrified me because everything was happening so fast and it wasn't what I had planned for myself." She paused and turned to look at Finn again. "But then I talked to Rocco and he made me realize that sometimes dreams change and that isn't a bad thing and that just because we haven't known each other that long doesn't mean we aren't meant to be together." She paused again and suddenly a thought hit her. "Oh my God! Rocco!" Rachel was about to jump out of the tub to go make sure he was alright until Finn held her back._

"_Rocco is fine, Rachel. I went to New York to find you and found him and he's alright. Just a __little bit of a headache." Rachel visibly relaxed at his reassurances. "If you go back though he may still be unconscious on the floor; just grab some ice for him and he'll be fine."_

"_Oh yeah, time goes back to where you left. I suppose I should go back soon though. I need to tell my dads that I'm getting married and moving and that they probably won't see me again." Her face fell a little and an idea popped in Finn's head._

"_They could always visit here. Just because you can't go back to New York without weird time stuff happening doesn't mean they can't come here."_

"_You think that would be okay?"_

"_Yeah, how else would they get to see their only daughter get married?"_

_Rachel kissed him again and from then on the talking ceased save for the occasional moan of 'Finn' and 'Rachel'._

_They spent a few exceptional hours reacquainting themselves with each other mentally, emotionally and physically until Rachel couldn't keep her eyes open anymore and succumbed to the exhaustion she felt from the past 24 or so hours._

After that everything moved quickly and they learned the fate of everyone affected by Sue's nefarious plot.

Baby Beth had been reunited with both her parents and there didn't seem to be any lasting trauma on her part. Shelby may have become the most protective mother ever but Puck would work with her on that.

Brittany had found Artie and after getting him some fluids, food and a bath he was perfectly fine. Based on the fact Brittany hadn't shown up to the stables for two days and when Puck went by to visit loud moans and whines could be heard through the door, they figured Artie was more than fine and proving it to his wife.

They learned that Sue had survived her stab to the back but was paralyzed from the armpits down. She was placed in a special wing of the prison to serve out her time for all her crimes and as always, was bitter about everything and tormented everyone around her, including Jesse who as punishment for his part had to help care for Sue until she finally kicked the bucket.

As for Quinn, she had survived her stab wound as well and would make a full recovery. Rachel felt that she should have been thrown in prison right along with Sue and Jesse for her part in Sue's plot but Finn had promised her a fresh start. Quinn was given a small cottage in a small town just outside of McKinley where she could peacefully live without worrying about Jesse or Sue or having to live up to anyone's expectations. Finn insisted his men would keep an eye on her but he really didn't believe Quinn would be a threat to anyone anymore. She seemed pleased and quite thankful for what she had been given and finally happy.

Then Rachel had to face reality and deal with tying up the loose ends of her life back in her world. She and Finn went to New York and once they made sure Rocco was okay Rachel quit her job on the spot and invited him to their pending nuptials. After that she broke Jacob's heart by packing up all her things and moving out. He glared at Finn the entire time he moved things from her studio out to the truck Rachel had rented to move her boxes to Rocco's and begged her to reconsider before dropping to his knees and proposing to her himself. She said goodbye and left him banging his head against the wall, never even glancing back at her old life.

The most nerve wracking part was breaking all this news to her fathers. They met her in Manhattan at her request to find out she was getting married and leaving. Both were rather stunned and extremely confused and kind of wanted to check her into a mental hospital when she explained everything that happened between when she accidentally found McKinley up to that moment at her favorite vegan restaurant.

"_Rachel, don't take this the wrong way, but I think you may be losing it," her father Hiram said to her as gently as he could. "Sweetheart, there's no such thing as McKinley…unless we're talking about President McKinley who was assassinated. He was real."_

_Rachel rolled her eyes and huffed. She wasn't crazy and it would just be easier if her fathers would believe her. "Daddy, I'm not losing anything. McKinley is real. It's where Finn is from." She took Finn's hand in hers and smiled at him. "We can prove it."_

_Leroy snorted. "Are you gonna show us Rocco's cabinet?"_

_Rachel shook her head. "Yes. How else do you expect to be able to attend my wedding?" Both of them shared a glance before protesting her speedy marriage again._

"_Rachel, you're still so young and you've only known Finn for a few days. Don't you think you're rushing things just a little bit? You've never been one to do something so reckless."_

"_Sir," Finn interjected, "my parents knew each other for about a day before they got married and they spent nearly 20 years happily married before my father died. I know that if he were still alive they would still be just as happy today. They loved each other more than anything. That's how I feel about Rachel and how she feels about me."_

"_Dad, Daddy, I know how it may look, but I love Finn and whether you like it or not I'm marrying him. Going though all we did…it made me realize what I really want and I want him and a life with him. So please, I'm just asking you to trust me and to support me." She begged them with her eyes and they shared another glance before relenting._

"_So, McKinley, huh? And you're the king of it?" Leroy asked, still highly skeptical but trying to be supportive. "Mind if we see this kingdom of yours before we let Rachel live there?"_

_Finn smiled at his future fathers-in-law. "Not at all. And you're both welcome to visit whenever you want…well, whenever Rocco will let you into his house."_

Even after they were in McKinley they still didn't entirely believe what was going on. They thought it was some kind of trick Rachel was pulling but as they spent more time there they realized she and Finn were telling the truth. They spent most of the week leading up to the wedding with her, fighting with Kurt and Carole on what they thought would be the better type of cake to have while Rachel and Finn spent most of their time holed up in bed when Finn didn't have some kingly duties to work on or fittings for her wedding dress.

All of which led Rachel to that moment in front of her mirror, staring at herself in her one of a kind white and pearlescent alabaster wedding gown that made her both look and feel like a princess. She was covered in satin and crystals and the corset bodice showed off her curves nicely before the skirt fanned out widely. According to Kurt, most brides would have opted for something more traditional and that covered their shoulders, but Rachel had a clear idea of what she wanted. She was honestly amazed that everything had been put together in only a week, especially her custom made gown. When you're the king and getting married she figured that meant you moved fast and spared no expense to make things happen quickly.

Rachel smoothed her hands over her stomach and smiled at her reflection. Her life was turning out better than she could have hoped. It may not have been the plan she had made for herself upon exiting high school but it was perfect nonetheless. A knock on the door drew her from her thoughts and she turned to see her fathers entering the room.

"Ready to get married?" her dad asked her with a smile on his face.

"Very." She giggled and took his hand, allowing him to lead her out of the room and to her very soon-to-be husband.

She took a deep breath as the music started and was in awe of how nicely the garden came together. Through all the arguing and whining and throwing of swatches at walls, Kurt, Carole and her dads had made everything so perfect. There was no way she could have done better herself. Once she saw Finn though she couldn't be bothered with the rest. His eyes widened and his lips spread into a huge grin as she smiled and blushed back at him.

Everything went so quickly up until they got to their vows. Finn looked super nervous and Rachel could swear he was sweating. She rubbed her thumb over his hand soothingly and smiled bigger at him as he looked into her eyes.

"Wow, this is scarier than meetings with my advisors and the Lords," he muttered under his breath making Rachel chuckle. "Okay," he took a deep breath and looked at Rachel like she was the only person in the world. "I love you, Rachel. From the moment you appeared in my cabinet I found myself drawn to you and I know I did some stupid stuff during our time together and I'll probably do more over the years, but the one thing I did that wasn't stupid at all was fall in love with you." He squeezed Rachel's hand more as he continued. "I promise you that anytime you need saving, I will be there to rescue you…but I really hope that never happens again because it was terrifying and I was so afraid I was going to lose you and I did lose you for a minute and it was the worst moment of my life and I don't ever want to feel like that again, but I'm getting off my point. My point is, I love you and I want to be your Prince Charming and to sweep you off your feet. I want to wake up every day next to you and make you happy and have a bunch of babies with you and be with you forever. So I promise to always be there for you and to always love you and make you feel like the queen you will be."

Rachel was getting misty eyed but refused to let the tears fall. She choked them down and cleared her throat to begin her own vows. "Finn, I know I'm stubborn and hardheaded but I am so thankful that you didn't let that deter you. The best thing you ever did was follow me to New York because it made me realize that I love you. I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with you because I know now that this is where I am supposed to be. I was supposed to find that door and you and I am so happy I did. I love you and I can't imagine ever finding a better Prince Charming to come in on his trusty steed to save me…not only when I was in actual danger, but from everything. You saved me from myself and became my new dream when my old ones were broken. I promise that I will never leave you again and that I will always love you, even when I may want to strangle you, I will still love you."

Her closing line earned a few chuckles and when they were told to kiss, boy did they. Finn lifted Rachel off her feet earning a squeal and she wrapped her arms around his neck. They kissed deeply and smiled against each other's lips before Finn put Rachel back on her feet. They looked around at the cheering crowd of hundreds before walking back up the aisle to start their new lives together.

As she stared up into the happy, smiling face of her husband – she had a husband! – Rachel couldn't help but feel like she had finally found her happily ever after.

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><p>And then there was only the epilogue...<p>

If anyone cares to see Rachel's dress it's on my tumblr. :)


	17. And They Lived Happily Ever After

And so we come to the epilogue. I want to say a very big thank you to everyone who has read, reviewed, alerted, favorited, etc. because it means so much more to me than I could ever possibly express. It's been a joy to write this story (except for when the block hit but it moved on finally) and I'm so glad everyone liked this so much. So thank you, thank you, thank you everyone! Enjoy! :D

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><p><strong>Four Years Later… <strong>

"You see Mama, Dominic? You see her?" Finn asked from the box reserved specifically for him and his family in the theatre Rachel basically built with her enthusiasm. His three year old son was on his lap eating crackers and not paying much attention to what was going on onstage until Finn pointed Rachel out during the curtain call.

Dominic immediately perked up and squirmed in Finn's arms to lean over the railing to see her better. He'd always been in awe of Rachel when she was on stage and singing. "Is Mama gonna sing again?" he asked Finn, looking up at his father with Rachel's big brown eyes.

"Not anymore, buddy. She's done for tonight, but she can sing for you before Uncle Kurt takes you home." Dominic seemed a little saddened by this news but pepped up a little when Finn suggested going to see her. "Why don't we go see Mama and give her big hug and kiss for how good she was, huh?" He nodded in excitement and threw his crackers on the floor as Finn put him on the ground to grab their things. "Dominic, put those in the garbage. You can't just throw things on the ground."

He pouted a little until he just flicked his little wrist and they disappeared. "All gone!" he said giddily, clapping his hands. Ever since he realized he could magically do things, Dominic had been obsessed with using his magic for everything. It was rather annoying when he sealed their lips shut whenever they said things he didn't like to hear or had to discipline him for changing Kurt's hair color. That was one of his favorite things to do since Kurt always got so flustered.

Finn picked his son up and they left the box to head backstage to meet Rachel. When they got there she was surrounded by her cast mates and they were being congratulated on a job well done by the director of the show. He spotted her in the large group and they made eye contact before he pointed toward her dressing room to indicate that was where he'd be waiting. Dominic puttered around Rachel's dressing room looking at all her costumes and playing with her make-up while Finn watched him.

He still couldn't believe sometimes how much like Rachel he was. Dominic had her eyes, ears, lips and skin but Finn's nose and hair. He could go either way with his height though as he was pretty averaged size for a child his age so far. When it came to personality, he was a hoot. The kid was beyond smart and talented and loved to sing and dance. He and Rachel would often put on little shows for the occupants of the castle to rave reviews and applause and Dominic loved the attention. Even if he weren't a little prince, Finn had a feeling he'd still be the most popular guy in a room.

"There's my little boy!" Rachel cried from her doorway, holding out her arms to pick Dominic up as he ran over to her. "How's my little guy? Were you good for Dada?" She looked up at Finn and he nodded before tugging her into a hug to give her a kiss.

"Dada, I'm squished!" Dominic said from his place sandwiched between his parents.

Rachel smiled at her baby. "Oh you are? We just wanted to make a Dominic sandwich!" She kissed his little cheek and he giggled like mad as she began to tickle him until a knock on the door caught their attention.

The door opened and Kurt poked his head in with his eyes tightly screwed shut. "Are all body parts that I do not wish to see covered?"

Rachel rolled her eyes and handed Dominic over to Finn. "Yes, everyone is covered. I haven't even started changing yet."

Kurt forced an eye open and upon seeing she was indeed covered opened his other eye and entered the room. A squirmy baby girl sat in a carrier on Kurt's chest and started smiling when she saw Rachel.

"And there's my little girl! My little Evie…" Rachel cooed at her four month old before taking her from Kurt. "Hi baby girl." She ran her hand over her soft dark brown curls and kissed her cheek. "Did she fuss at all? Is that why you brought her with?"

"No, she's been good for Uncle Kurt and Uncle Blaine. I just thought you'd like to see her before you and Finn go on your date." Kurt sat down in Rachel's make-up chair and watched as Rachel played with her baby.

"I did miss her."

"Rachel, you had to get back to the theatre eventually. I know you missed it," Finn said as he came up behind her and gently rubbed Evie's head.

"I know. It felt great being back on the stage. It's just hard to leave them when I spend so much time with them."

"I would think you'd like a little break from being a mama, especially from that one," Kurt said, sneering at Dominic a little as the boy glared at him. Kurt had it out for Dominic ever since he turned his hair bright green the first time.

"Kurt!" Rachel chastised as she handed Evie over to Finn and went about taking her stage make-up and costume off. "He is three years old. Cut him some slack."

As she stepped behind her room divider to take her dress off she listened to Kurt and Finn discuss the show. It had been opening night and Kurt had missed it as he had offered to take Evie for the night and Dominic later after the show to give Finn the chance to see it and Finn and Rachel the chance to celebrate.

Rachel smiled at Finn's praise and thought about all she had gone through to make it to that point. She still couldn't believe she was finally performing in front of an audience. True it wasn't Broadway but now she realized she didn't care where she performed as long as she got to. Rachel loved to sing and act and be appreciated for it so when she suggested to Finn that they perhaps invest in a proper theatre in McKinley, he had agreed that it would be a great addition to the town. She had really helped it grow over the years and even taught some acting and singing classes to aspiring young actors and actresses. She had starred in adaptations of a few of her favorite musicals and was making her way back onto the stage after her maternity leave in the latest production of _Phantom of the Opera_ as Christine. It was different from Broadway but Rachel enjoyed the work and getting to share it with the people of McKinley.

Once in a more comfortable dress, Rachel ousted Kurt from her chair to clean off her face. "You should really try to get along with him more. Maybe then Dominic wouldn't feel the need to change the color of your hair to annoy you so often."

"Me?" he cried, outraged. "I never did anything to him! He's just a little-"

"Watch it, Kurt. That's my son," Finn warned before Kurt could say something he'd regret. Dominic just smiled like an angel at Kurt from Finn's lap.

"Okay, all done." Rachel walked over to Finn and picked up Evie. "All done," she cooed. "Mama's going to miss you so much. I love my little Evie." She kissed her forehead and her little fingers. "Mama and Dada will see you tomorrow, little one. You be good for Uncle Kurt and Uncle Blaine." Evie laid her head against Rachel's chest and she took an extra minute just to hold her before placing her back in Kurt's baby carrier. Finn pressed a little goodbye kiss against her forehead and shook her hands while he made funny faces at her to get her to smile.

Rachel picked up her son and held him on her hip. "You little Mister, you need to be good for Uncle Kurt, okay? You can't change his hair color, you can't seal his mouth shut, don't make his clothes disappear in public, you don't use your magic on him, got it? No magic on Uncle Kurt." Dominic shook his head shyly and hugged Rachel around the neck.

"Song? I want a song, Mama. Dada said I could have one," he pouted as he played with Rachel's hair.

"What song do you want?" Dominic shrugged and Rachel settled on 'Think of Me' from _Phantom_. She sang it much softer than usual and almost like a lullaby to soothe him into his happy place. His eyes started to droop and Rachel handed him over to Kurt after placing a kiss on his head. Finn mussed his hair and said goodnight and they both watched as Kurt carried off their kids so they could celebrate another of Rachel's opening nights and one of Finn's favorite anniversaries.

"Ready to go?" he asked as Rachel slipped her hand in his.

She nodded her head. "Where exactly are we going?"

Finn smiled down at her before placing a light kiss on her lips. "You'll see."

They walked through the backstage area to get to the back door. When they got outside a small group of people were waiting to greet the actors. She said hello and signed a few things for everyone until Finn was able to finally break her away from the group. They walked through town for a little while people watching and discussing Rachel's show and how Finn's meeting went earlier until they reached the edge of town where their opulent carriage was waiting.

"Where are we going?" Rachel asked as Finn helped her inside. He followed her in but didn't do anything but give her a coy smile. The carriage took off and Rachel looked at Finn suspiciously until he pulled her against him and kissed her temple. She leaned into him just enjoying the ride if she couldn't get an answer.

The carriage stopped a few minutes later and Finn excitedly hopped up forgetting the space was too small to stand in, hitting his head. He plopped back down and rubbed his skull while Rachel chuckled behind her hand trying not to chuckle. Finn recovered quickly however and opened the door before the driver could and stepped out.

"My Queen," he said bowing slightly and placing his hand out for Rachel. She rolled her eyes and took his hand to help her down. She looked around and saw they were at the road that would lead them to Sam and Mercedes Evans' barn.

"The Evans' barn?" She looked at him knowingly as he smiled down at her.

"Where else would we be on the anniversary of our first full day in the kingdom together? I figured it would be a better date than going back to the castle."

"And by that you mean our _first time_ together in the place we had our first time…" she insinuated.

"Maybe." Finn wrapped his arm around Rachel's shoulders. "Come on, let's go."

"Aren't you afraid we'll get caught again?"

"Nope. Sam and Mercedes are out of town with the family and I got permission from Sam. It's all ours for the night."

They made it to the door and Finn opened it allowing Rachel to enter first. She gasped and looked back at him quite surprised. "Either Sam installed a skylight in here or you got a certain magical little boy to help you."

"Dominic may have helped." They both looked up at the ceiling which was littered with bright stars to reflect the night's sky outside. "I thought it would be nice to sleep under the stars without having to worry about the weather. I heard it's supposed to rain tonight."

"That was very sweet of you but you know we need to be careful with Dominic's magic. We're trying to get him to control it and not use it on everyone."

Finn sighed. "I understand. I told him we wouldn't be making a habit of it. Did you know this wasn't even hard for him? The kid's powerful."

"Which is why we need to be careful…" She grabbed Finn's hands and placed them on her hips before wrapping her own arms around his neck. "Now, as much as I love our children and could talk about them all day, this night was supposed to be about us. What other tricks do _you_ have up your sleeve?"

Finn leaned down to give her a little peck before picking her up bridal style and carrying her to the table set for two she had neglected to notice. On their plates already was the best looking eggplant parmesan she had ever seen. Since moving to McKinley she had given up veganism but was still an avid vegetarian. She had to admit, cheese was the biggest thing she had missed.

The night progressed quickly through dinner and dessert to dancing under the stars. As Finn held Rachel and swayed to the tune he was humming, thunder cracked overhead and lightning lit up the barn brighter. They both looked up at the faux sky and could see the clouds beginning to roll in.

"Good call on the barn," Rachel complimented her husband.

He shrugged before dipping Rachel. "Whadya say we take this upstairs?" He cocked an eyebrow at her as the corner of his mouth twitched up into that half grin of his that made Rachel melt. She nodded her head and Finn stood her back up before sweeping her off her feet once again. It started to rain as they got to the top steps and thunder sounded once more before another strike of lightning illuminated the place.

While the storm swirled around outside, Finn and Rachel took their time building each other up as they made love for a second time in the very first place they had ever been together. Though they had spent four years married and deliriously in love and had two children together in that time, nothing had changed in how they felt about each other from the beginning. Their love had only grown and neither could imagine living without the other.

As they came down from their mutual highs, lying wrapped in each other on that same small bed they had four years prior, they couldn't keep themselves from simply staring at one another.

"I love you, Rachel." Finn brushed his hand through Rachel's hair and pressed his lips against hers.

"I love you too, Finn." She closed her eyes in contentment. "Finn?"

"Hmm?" he replied sleepily, his eyes closing as well. The day was beginning to catch up with him and Rachel honestly felt the same.

"Thank you."

Finn cracked an eye open. "For what?"

Rachel looked back at him as she began playing with his hair. "For saving me, for being my Prince Charming, for being the greatest husband ever and helping me make and raise two beautiful children…for everything."

Finn pulled her head closer to kiss her deeply. "Anytime." He kissed her again. "Every time." Once more. "Always." Again. "I love you and that will never change." And again. "Now let's sleep. I have a feeling we'll be listening to Kurt whine about Dominic and Evie all day tomorrow and we need our rest for that."

She chuckled and made herself comfortable against Finn's chest. "Goodnight, Finn. I love you."

"Goodnight, Rachel. I love you."

The pair went silent and only the rolling thunder and sound of rain could be heard as Finn and Rachel slipped into peaceful sleep knowing they really would always live happily ever after.

_**The End**_


End file.
